The Troubles(BLADE)

[Shadow]

There was only one thing Shadow hated more than snow and that was Dodger. He had been listening to the older boy torment, taunt and attemp to swoon numerous girls in the bar tonight before he finally finished off his beer and decided it was time to go home. He stepped out into the snow and shoved his hands in the pockets of his slacks casually as he listened to the snow crunch beneath his black dress shoes. He really despised some of the things the others did some times and he had even had to stop Dodger from smacking a girl earlier, he knew Dodger was mental but that had been uncalled for.

He looked up as he approached the apartment steps and his eyes fell upon the little Five Points hustler, Blade passed out on the stoop and beginninng to get covered in snow. He wasn't like Dodger or even Ryder who would let the boy stay there and get sick or even mugged, he walked up the steps and when he reached Blade's side he nudged his side with the toe of his shoes. "Hey wake up Blade, ya don't wanna get sick or even worse have some tough lil lass come take yer moneh," he teased light heartedly with a chuckle as he watched the boy come to. "Les get ya inside and warmed up and maybeh get ya some food ta help sobeh ya up alright?" he offered with a smile.

[Blade]

Blade heard the last part of the first statement as he jumped up pulling out his knife jumping to his feet. "Take my moneh I's kill ya!" Blade said slipping back into the snow looking up at Shadow who seemed to be being nice. Blade wasn't quite sure why Shadow was even part of five points he was kind at times though he was quite and thats probity why he always got his spy work done. Blade shifted a little his fingertips burnt as he tried to huff on them, yes upstairs sounded good a beer and some whiskey would make him warm Blade nodded as he stood up stumbling looking in the snow picking up a pricey gold watch. He shoot his head listening for the tick tock as he held it he let out a sigh of relief it must have just fell when he jumped up. Blade walked to the top of the stoop and inserted his key. He walked up the stairs stumbling up and down a few before reaching Shadow's apartment. "I's owe you one Shadow I's mean I's coulda freezed out der in dat." Blade said as the boy opened the door.

Blade followed Shadow into his apartment as he smiled as he looked around for the sink. He took off his jacket dropping it on the floor stumbling to the sink running his fingers under cold water, Blade remember what Kassia had told him Never as much as you want put them under hot water you'll get frost bite baby bro" Blade smiled as he turned the water off drying his hands turning around to Shadow his teeth were chattering and he was shivering a little as he hiccuped. "Shadow I's need a drink like one with alot of alcohol in it." He said with a sneeze.

[Shadow]

Shadow helped the boy upstairs and into his apartment and when the boy was over at the sink, he went back into his bedroom and grabbed a few blankets tossing them on the couch. He walked into the kitchen and looked through the fridge before he reached in and handed Blade a bottle of whiskey and then he began looking through the cabinets. "Do ya want some soup or maybe some cake? Ya gotta eat somethin or da alcohol's gonna tare right through yer stomach linin," he said as he pulled out a chocolate cake from the cabinet and grinned. It sounded so good and he always had a sweet tooth problem. He cut himself a piece and then a second for Blade before he walked over and set the two plates and forks on the coffee table and he sat down picking up his plate and taking a bite of the cake.

"Ya should drink, eat some cake and bundle up wit dese blankets alright?" he said with his mouth full of the chocolatey goodness. He grinned before swallowing hard and then getting up, he needed milk. He dug through the fridge and grabbed the bottle of milk before returning to his spot on the couch and he patted the empty spot beside him,"Come sit wit meh I don't bite ya know," he said with a smile.

[Blade]

Blade watched as Shadow returned with the blankets his clothes were a bit wet as he took the plate of cake and set it down stripping out of his wet clothes into his underwear, folding them and placing them on the rack. Blade walked over picking up the blankets and draping them over him as he smiled at Shadow's comment while the boy was patting the couch. "I's don't bite eithah....hard..." Blade said with a smirk as he sat down taking the bottle of whiskey opening it taking a guzzle before putting it on the table. He eyed the cake and shook his head as Shadow. "You's think wit my perfect teeth I's can eat sweets your crazy." Blade said as he flashed his pretty smile for Shadow. Plus the boy liked salt and sour and spicy before sweet anyway. Like pickles! Blade thought with a smile thinking about pickles in Poland before his eyes met with Shadow's again.

He picked up the other blanket as he put it over himself taking the bottle from the table taking another gulp. He could feel it burn his belly lining Shadow was right Blade couldn't remember the last time he ate. He always filled with beer and boozes and passed out he never really ate as he raised his eye brow thinking to himself. "I's Don't eat." Blade said.

[Shadow]

Shadow grinned at the boy's flashing smile but he took his fork, put a big piece of cake on it and shoved it toward Blade,"Yer gonna eat cus I aint gonna have ya gettin sick in my apartment... yer perfect teeth can handle a bit of sweets I promise, I got pretty perfect teeth myself so eat," he urged, simply trying to take care of the boy. He didn't like it when people he knew got sick or didn't take care of themselves like they should. He tilted his head and gave big puppy dog eyes to Blade and pouted his lip abit,"Please fer meh..." he muttered as he waited for Blade to either argue or just take the damn bite of the cake. He sighed abit and ruffled his hair with his free hand as he eyed the boy, he looked so cold, maybe even already sick, but he was kind of cute... he shook his head pushing thoughts back, this was why he had become a Five Points member, Ryder didn't know he had attractions to boys, he didn't know Shadow had been kicked out of the orphanage for trying things with other boys. He looked down abit in thought.

[Blade]

The fork was now on the fork in his face as Blade shivered a little and listening to Shadow as he looked at the boys teeth and smirked a little thinking to himself what a attraction perfect teeth were and this boy was taking care of him, Blade felt love as he moved a little closer as he woke up slapping himself on the forehead shaking his head fast Ryder would kill him. The boy gave him puppy dog eyes as everyone he ever once care about did and he forced himself to open his mouth and take the bite as he could feel the sugar fill his taste buds and he smiled, it was actually quite good. Blade too the fork from Shadow as he ate the rest in big bites the less time the sweets were on his teeth the better as he finished it he put the plate and fork on the table and picked up the bottle taking a sip swishing it between his teeth and then took another chug looking around as the room mood got mellow and the room spinned just a little.

"I's only did dat for you's just so you's stop urging." Blade said as he crossed his arms and looked away and then looked back and smiled jokingly. "Okay I's get it I's had to eat but I's still freezing!" Blade complained a little as he put the blanket over his shoulders huffing under it trying to stay warm.

[Shadow]

Shadow watched the boy shiver and he couldn't help but scoot closer and wrap his arms around the boy trying to warm him up abit as he rubbed his arms with his hands."Don't lie it was good cake..." he said as he chuckled and absently leaned against Blade a little yawning slightly. He closed his eyes for a moment and found himself resting his head on Blade's shoulder. He had a pretty eventful day, tredging the streets with Dodger, keeping Dodger out of trouble, listening to the Birds of Brooklyn chirp their little gossip, he found it funny how they didn't think they were heard. He looked up at Blade for a moment and tilted his head,"Am I too close to ya?I can move.. ya jus look so cold, I wanted ta try and help,"he muttered softly, but he knew his cheeks were probably threatening to turn pink and he shifted abit in his seat keeping himself from getting any sort of arousal.

[Blade]

He felt Shadow move closer as Blade shifted and let him come close, it was hard for Blade to do that unless he felt cared about in the first place. He smiled at the thought of the cake comment and nodded. "Yeah yeah It was pretty good." Blade said letting go of his pride for a moment. Blade felt the boy gesture closer as he put his arm around him listening to his words. "Don't go I's..I's like you there." Blade said as he pulled the boy closer, he understood the boy was trying to keep him warm but Bade agenda was always to be loved if he didn't feel it he'd find a way to and at this point it was the safest way. Blade looked to the boys pink cheeks and it suddenly made a little more sense why he was so close. "Shadow you's got a crush on meh or somethin' I's mean I's know I'm sexy and irritable but you got a hidden agenda too?" Blade asked raising his eyebrow.

[Shadow]

Shadow looked at Blade with confusion and now it made some sense, hidden agenda? Too? He lifted his head from Blade's shoulder and looked down at him for a minute,"Too? What is yer hidden agenda? I's was jus tryin ta keep ya warm... though it is quite comfortable I aint gonna lie," he said as he looked down abit embarrassed now. He didn't want to get in trouble, he didn't want Blade to end up saying something to Ryder, he couldn't help it... he was just trying to be nice to Blade and take care of him, but he couldn't help that he liked being close to the boy,"I don't have a crush on ya, yer jus comfortable and I's tryin ta help ya... and I jus... its not a crush more of an attraction... don't say nothin will ya?" he said embarrasse and shy now as he looked away.

[Blade]

Blade listened on his last play of words as he remembered he did say the word 'too' "I's means I's always need to loved it's part of my separation anxiety from me sistah, if you must know but ya made me feel safe and warm and cared about and loved geesh." He said as he watched Shadow looked away Blade reached over and pulled Shadow's face back looking him in the eyes. "Come now you think I's tell Ryder everything? No I's don't and its none of his concern you's get in trouble for somethin' like feelin' attraction to a guy by Dodger and Ry." Blade tried to make Shadow feel okay about the situation as he pulled Shadow's head on his chest rubbing his head. "Your secrets safe wit meh." Blade smiled comforting Shadow now.