Page 13

12

MASON

Mason blasted the air conditioning, trying to wake up. It had been a long day that had started with an engagement shoot and ended with a meeting about the exhibition, and talking to the other photographers in person after lurking in the group chat for months had worn him out.

He couldn’t wait to get home, shower, and then flop into bed with Rain and Mouse. Hopefully, Rain would be in a better mood. Mason didn’t know what had happened last night but somewhere between the reception and the ride home Rain’s energy had changed and he’d gone quiet, anxiety lining his pinched lips. Not knowing what to do, Mason had given him space, intending to ask about things if Rain still seemed upset in the morning.

But Mason woke to an empty bed and even though Rain’s texts said that he was out running errands and would be back tonight, apprehension wound through Mason’s mind.

While he didn’t know what had happened, he was pretty sure Rain’s family had been behind it. While Rain seldom talked about his parents; he’d insinuated that his mother was flaky, his tone telling Mason that they were strained, and he hoped that Rain hadn’t gone to see her tonight. Over time, that stormy gaze had been screaming less and less, which showed in Rain’s pictures, especially the candid ones Mason took throughout their daily lives. But if Rain visited his mother and returned with that haunted look?

Mason’s core rumbled in anger.

Pulling up to the house, he gathered his gear and went inside. His apartment now had three locks and he needed to fiddle with all of them to get in, and once he did he dumped everything on the couch.

“Rain.” He looked around, his eyes resting on the closed bedroom door. Even though nothing else was out of place, his apprehension grew, swirling in his gut as he walked over to it and heard a distant pleading meow.

Something was wrong.

“Rain?” The doorknob didn’t move when he tried to turn it. Scowling, he pulled out his keys, trying a few before he got it right. Unlocked, the doorknob turned but the door only shifted. A stronger push told him that something was blocking it, and fear streaked through Mason’s system, his brain racing.

Why was Rain barricaded inside the bedroom? Was there another break-in? Was Rain even in there?

Mason couldn’t explain it, but he could tell from Mouse’s cries that Rain was in the bedroom and he needed help.

“Rain!” He shouted, edging along panic as he put his shoulder against the door, leaning in with more force, and it opened several inches. Recognizing Mason’s voice, Mouse’s pleas became louder and more insistent, which spurred Mason on. Digging in, he put all his strength behind the next push, groaning as the blockage shifted back, giving him enough room to slide in.

“ Rain! ”

Stumbling to a lamp in the pitch-black darkness, Mason flicked the switch, blinking at the flood of light while hurrying around the bed toward Mouse’s cries, and as soon as he saw Rain, he stilled in shock.

Huddled against the nightstand, Rain shook like a leaf, his wide, gray eyes focused on nothing, his arm extended, holding the pink pepper spray that Mason had seen before. Frightened and agitated, Mouse ran back and forth between them, her scared cries forcing Mason into motion, and he slowly kneeled in front of Rain, trying to breathe as a wave of concern washed through him so strong that it almost swept him away.

“What happened? Did my brother break in again? Are you hurt?” In that moment he had no trouble emoting; his sentences were sharp and lifted with worry at the end. Going quiet, Mouse sat next to him, watching. He wanted to ask a final question - did you visit your family tonight? But he held back because if he was wrong, then he’d be making things worse.

Hand shaking, Rain flicked the cap, still stuck inside his fear, and Mason understood. Rain had been pushed hard enough to lose touch with reality. Mason had not only experienced that at the hands of his family but also under the whims of a sadistic upperclassman, so he knew that he needed to bring Rain back gently.

Hoping that he didn’t get sprayed in the face, Mason reached up, placing his hand over Rain’s. After a few seconds, Rain gasped in reply, blinking a few times before finally focusing on Mason, that gaze clinging to him and warming Mason’s heart.

“Can you put this down?” Mason asked as softly as he could, although it still came out robotic to his ears. While he was probably the worst choice to comfort someone, a part of him found it easy to soothe Rain. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

It was the truth. Mason didn’t have the ability to hurt Rain and he tried to emote that, but it was like speaking a foreign language. Even so, Rain seemed to believe him, dropping his arm limply to his side, and the canister tumbled onto the carpet. Picking it up, Mason placed it within reach, somehow knowing that Rain needed it nearby to feel safe.

“Was there another break-in?” He had to be sure, even if he already knew that the answer would be no. If his brother had unlocked either of the inside doors, then Mason would’ve noticed it. Besides, hurting others wasn’t his family’s style; they reserved that for their own blood.

Opening his mouth, Rain tried to form words but ended up shaking his head, confirming that this had nothing to do with the will or the house, but he didn’t offer anything more so Mason carefully crawled around to his side. Sitting close enough to support yet far enough away to keep Rain comfortable, Mason placed his hand a little farther out than he normally would, spreading his pinky until it was an inch from Rain’s, not expecting anything. So, when Rain’s finger brushed against his and stayed there, he felt honored.

They sat in silence for several minutes, and Rain seemed to slowly unwind. Shifting, he took a deep breath and Mason tilted his head toward him.

“I’m…I just…” Biting his lip, Rain considered and then sighed. “My mother’s boyfriend keeps trying to fuck me. I had to go over there tonight for her birthday and…it wasn’t good.”

Up until that moment, Mason thought he knew rage, especially with his family’s recent antics, but that sentence had red creeping into the edge of his vision and it took everything he had not to clench his fists.

“Did he touch you?” It came out as a growl.

“No, but he tried to and he threatened me.” Rain closed his eyes and his fingers twitched, causing a cascade in which both their hands turned and their fingers entwined. Mason hadn’t held hands with anyone since his grandmother passed, and Rain’s smaller palm slid perfectly against his own, not banking his anger but helping him compartmentalize.

“And your mom did nothing, right?” Mason supplied.

“Yeah…” Rain’s eyes opened in surprise. “How did you know?”

Mason sneered. “Because my mother is a doormat.”

Rain jolted a few times as if he was trying to laugh but couldn’t.

“My mom is not a doormat, but she’s unstable and doesn’t care about my safety. If she did, then she wouldn’t have brought all those perverts home.”

“All those perverts?” A chill ran up Mason’s spine as the cause of Rain’s screaming gaze became crystal clear. He tried to meet Rain’s eyes but Rain kept staring straight ahead, his hand going clammy in Mason’s hold.

“There’s only one jerk now, but before Tristan - when I was a kid - sometimes her dates would sneak into my room and touch me.” His fingers twitched again. “I installed my first lock when I was five, ordered it from the internet, but it didn’t always stop them.”

That’s when Rain turned to him and Mason could see the kaleidoscope of his pain, hear the cries in his heart, and for the first time in a long time he wanted to hug someone, to hold Rain in his arms and drain all his hurt, his anger, and his agony, because Mason knew what it was like to suffer at the hands of others, to be too young and weak to have any agency, tormented by the people who were supposed to protect you. It fundamentally changed you as a person.

Now things made sense - why Rain knew so much about security, why he slept in The Pointe’s storage room, and why he carried around pepper spray - because his childhood had been a hellscape too, with one exception. Rain never had a Gran.

But you know what, Cricket? He has you.

“I’m sorry.” Mason wished that he had something better to say, something wise or reassuring, but if Rain knew that he’d only said those words to Gran, then he’d know how special they were. To send it home, Mason pulled on Rain’s hand, slowly drawing him in, and while Rain’s eyes widened, he didn’t resist, allowing himself to be carefully embraced.

Awkward at first, Mason didn’t know where to rest his hands, worried that he’d set Rain off, but then it dawned on him that even with Rain’s history, and what had happened today, he was allowing Mason’s touch. Plus, he’d stopped shaking and Mason took that as a good sign, so he kept his arms loosely around Rain’s middle. Trilling, Mouse moved next to them, settling down with her paws tucked in.

Following her lead, Rain let out a bone-weary sigh, some of the tension sliding from his body as he leaned his forehead on Mason’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a bit and while Mason was proud to be a throne for his elfin prince, his frothing rage kept him from basking in this strangely intimate moment.

He wanted to find Rain’s mother and tear her and her boyfriend apart and then find every single person who touched Rain without his consent and rip them into pieces as well. But he wasn’t a fighter, he couldn’t even face his own bullies, how could he protect Rain?

By sharing his sanctuary and letting Rain stay here for as long as he wanted. He hadn’t thought much about their photographer and muse relationship beyond the exhibition, but he knew that this place would feel even emptier without Rain and Mouse. This house was becoming a home again, and now they could both be children sheltered under Gran’s roof. Mason knew that if she were still here, she’d approve.

Starting, Rain sat up as if he’d been caught doing something wrong and wiped his eyes.

“Thanks. And I’m sorry about your dresser, I got scared but I’m okay now.” He tried to shrug it off and snap back to his old persona but his red-rimmed gaze screamed louder than ever. “I feel like I overreacted. I’ve been dealing with this harassment since I was a kid. I should be used to it by now.”

“You didn’t overreact.” Mason could feel his brow furrowing. Did Rain not understand what had happened to him? “And it’s not harassment.”

“Then what is it?” Rain frowned, sounding defensive, and Mason cursed himself for not softening his tone.

“It’s abuse, sexual abuse,” Mason stated a bit more gently. “You were touched in a sexual way without your consent.”

Rain looked down at the floor, confusion across his face as he played with the end of his braid.

“But it’s not like those guys fucked me…”

“It doesn’t matter.” Mason’s anger leaked, spilling around him. “You were a child.”

Expression dark, Rain went silent, processing. Several times he glanced up at Mason, who tried to emote that this anger was for Rain, not at Rain, and he seemed to understand. Eventually, the truth sank in because he let out something between a laugh and a sob.

“When I was nine, I tried to tell my mom what happened and she got quiet. Then she said I was lying.” Unshed tears bloomed in his eyes. “If I was lying, then how would I know what their dicks looked like? And that one of them had a foot fetish? I didn’t tell anyone about it after that.”

“You told me,” Mason stated as softly as he could.

“I did.” Rain bit his lip, staring at nothing, and then shrugged, blinking away his tears. “But it’s in the past, it doesn’t matter-”

“It does!” Mason didn’t realize that he’d raised his voice until Mouse stirred, looking at him, and Rain’s eyebrows flew up.

“Wow…thanks.” His voice held pleased shock. As always, he inherently got Mason, knowing that he only yelled when he needed to, when he cared, but that concern bounced off another shrug, defeat in the curve of Rain’s spine. “But what can I do about it? I don’t even know their names. All I have is an SD card with video of her latest jerk trashing my room…maybe. But it’s his place, so it’s not like he did anything illegal.”

“Have you thought about cutting off your mom?” Mason had done that with his family and even though they weren’t making it easy now, those years with Gran had given him room to breathe.

“I want to.” Worry squeezed Rain’s brows. “I’m almost there but I’m afraid of what she’ll do to find me if I go no-contact, and how she’ll act if she does.”

“Is she violent?” Mason flooded with anxiety.

“A little. But she’s mostly loud and scary.”

“Does she know you’re here?” Glad he’d beefed up security, Mason pulled Rain a little closer, the proximity relaxing both of them.

“No, she’s been on an information diet for a long time.” Rain made a face that said he was an expert at deflection. “I think her pervert boyfriend might know where I work but there’s a big chance he doesn’t remember anymore. He’s an idiot too.”

“Where is your biological father?” Mason couldn’t help but be curious.

“I have no idea,” Rain snorted. “My mom was dating five or six people at the time and I came out looking exactly like her so...”

“Do you want to know?”

“Nope. I don’t care, I had Tristan.” The corner of Rain’s lip quirked as if he wanted to smile but was too worn out to do so.

“Who is Tristan?” Mason had heard that name several times before and always in high regard.

“He was kind of my stepdad. He’s the one who used to take me to the state forest.” This time Rain smiled, the relief in it heart-wrenching. “We moved in with him when I was ten. It was nice not having to sleep under the bed anymore.”

The image of a young, terrified Rain hiding so that his mother’s boyfriends wouldn’t molest him hit Mason like a punch to the gut. No wonder Rain had panicked, he’d been harmed again tonight, and the incident had dredged up all of his trauma, making it feel fresh and present. So, once Rain had gotten away, he’d tried to lock himself in the bedroom and get under the bed like he’d done as a child, but Mason’s had storage underneath, which explained the dresser. If Rain couldn’t hide, then he could barricade himself in.

Wanting to be that barricade for Rain, Mason opened his hand, the rumble in his soul growing louder as their palms came together like magnets, their fingers instantly interlocking.

“You can stay here as long as you want. She doesn’t know where you live or work. Cut her off and see what happens.” Mason squeezed their joined hands. Rain looked down at them and then back up at him, the clouds in those gray eyes less heavy with storms, the screaming not as shrill.

“Thanks. I feel safe here.” He tried to chuckle but it turned into a yawn, as if the day was catching up to him. “This is the first place I’ve ever felt safe.”

Mason’s eyes stung and he blinked a few times, his heart both full and breaking for Rain.

Even though more needed to be said, Rain’s eyes began to droop. He’d been up early on probably little sleep and had dealt with a triggering situation; they could always talk more in the morning.

Slowly, Mason rose, bringing Rain with him and helping him get ready for bed. Quickly double-checking the locks and pushing the dresser back in its place, Mason crawled onto the mattress next to Rain, Mouse joining them on the end. For a moment, Rain stared at him, biting his lip, and Mason intuitively knew what he needed, opening his arms again. He’d found comfort in Gran’s hugs too many times to count and since Rain trusted him and felt safe around him, he should offer that comfort even if he hadn’t processed or analyzed what it meant.

With a small smile, Rain dove in, snuggling up against Mason, and he was out within five minutes, twitching here and there. However, Mason didn’t sleep for a while. His mind kept him up, whirring over everything Rain had revealed, and once he managed to bank his anger, he found a fierce need to protect Rain beneath it.

Pre-dawn light had begun to sneak into the room before Mason finally dozed off and he woke to Rain still in his arms, but now those gray eyes were wide open, studying him. He’d never slept holding someone before - he’d never wanted to - but Rain’s warm, lithe body fit just right in his hold, smelling like the ocean with a hint of lavender; Mason had enjoyed every minute of it despite the drooling and jolting.

“How are you,” he mumbled, trying to wake up.

“Okay for now.” Rain’s reply told Mason that he’d been awake for a while. “Um, thanks for last night.”

Mason made a noise that said he didn’t need thanks and Rain gave him a wan half-grin in return. The silence that stretched between them wasn’t uncomfortable but Mason could tell that Rain wanted to say more, so he rubbed Rain’s arm, encouraging him to continue.

“I lost my virginity when I was thirteen,” Rain eventually said in a tone so low that if they weren’t close, then Mason wouldn’t have heard it. “I’d been fighting men off for so long I guess I gave in. I was curious about sex and I wanted to make my own choices about who to touch.”

“You wanted control,” Mason stated.

“Yes.” Gaze shifting to the side, Rain sighed. “And the more sex I had, the more I felt in control. I’m not saying I’m ashamed because I’m not. It’s just…confusing. Because lately? I’m not interested in having sex with other people. I get whatever I need here. That’s never happened before.”

Mason blinked, wanting to reply, to tell Rain that sex with him was perfect, something he never thought he’d experience, and that he felt honored to be good enough to have him exclusively, but his brain checked out. Rain grinned at him, somehow knowing that Mason had become tongue-tied.

“How about breakfast?” He played with the end of his braid and Mason gave him a stilted nod. A part of him felt like they needed to talk more but Rain had such a hopeful look in his eyes that Mason couldn’t bear to wipe it away. Besides, Mouse perked up at the mention of food, letting loose a chain of meows that had them reluctantly pulling apart, and after a quick morning routine, Mason fed the starving feline while Rain cooked up some eggs and toast.

They ate standing up by the counter, shoulder to shoulder in silence. Something had shifted, bringing them even closer together, and Mason had a hunch that they were both trying to figure it out because he certainly was.

Finishing his plate, Rain cleaned up and faced Mason. “I have another question.”

Chewing the last of his toast, Mason quirked a brow, telling Rain to go ahead.

“Can I see the darkroom?”

The toast turned to ash in Mason’s mouth and he swallowed, nodding once. He couldn’t say no. That would only hurt Rain and Mason didn’t want those gray eyes to scream anymore. He wanted them to sing.

Putting his own dish in the sink, Mason wiped a sweaty hand on his pants and unlocked the door, turning on the light as the smell of vinegar and other solvents washed over them. Rain put a hand around his nose, stepping inside.

“I thought you couldn’t use regular light in here. I was expecting all red.” He moved toward the far wall, which was covered in photos to the point of chaos. Older than Rain’s collage, it served as a wonderful distraction, keeping Rain from checking behind the shelving unit and under an expertly tacked-up sheet.

Cursing his past self for not dismantling the shrine, Mason closed the door behind them, ignoring the sweat that rolled down his back.

“I’m not developing right now. I can use the regular light. But…” Reaching beside the door, he switched on the safety lights, drowning the room in crimson. He’d fitted the small space so it was sealed up tight, with no leaks, and Rain gasped in pleasure, spinning around and then looking up at the bulb.

“The darkroom is for my film cameras. It’s mostly black and white but I’ve been experimenting with color.” He flipped the lights back. “I like controlling when the development stops, how much of the image to bring into this world.”

Rain smiled. “Film seems warmer than digital.”

Mason almost smiled back. “Yes. Film has density and nostalgia.”

Opening his lips, Rain was about to reply when his gaze landed on a stack of pictures by one of the shelves, and now Mason was sweating everywhere. He never left any collage evidence out but he might’ve missed something.

Picking up the top photo, Rain studied it, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

“If you think Finn is smarmy, then why do you have pictures of him?”

Mason’s knees wobbled in relief. “He’s annoying but he’s photogenic.”

“These are sneaky shots, like the ones you take of me.” Rain teased, flicking through the pile.

“They’re candids. And his are not like yours.” Mason stated, noting that Rain was right.

“Really?” Rain tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear, blinking up at Mason through his lashes. “How are they not like mine?”

Silent, Mason tried to figure out how to answer, but Rain’s eyes shifted to the clock on the wall behind him.

“Think on it, because I have to go to work soon,” he sighed dramatically.

Leaving the darkroom, Mason quickly locked the door behind them, vowing to take the collage down while Rain was at The Pointe. While he’d have the privacy to dismantle the shrine, Mason wasn’t happy with Rain working tonight. Yesterday had been traumatic for him and he still looked slightly shell-shocked.

Torn between suggesting a day off and overstepping, Mason decided to do what he could and grabbed his keys, secretly enjoying how Rain’s eyes went wide when he found Mason by the front door as he was heading out.

“What’s going on?” His words held a whisper of fear and doubt.

“Let me drive you.” Mason didn’t have a wedding this weekend and The Pointe was close enough to drop Rain off and pick him up, which would keep him off the streets and away from any searching family members. Plus, Mason wanted to help. “And Finn’s photos are not like yours because I like you.”

The anxiety in Rain’s gaze shifted to hesitant joy, and he slowly smiled.

“Okay. Thank you, Mason.” The way his name slid off Rain’s tongue was dangerous, along with the pink that bloomed along those sculpted cheekbones. “And I like you too.”