The Halloween Incident

by Dawn Sister

  Danny skidded to Tristan’s side on his knees and placed his hands on his shoulders, looking into his face. He was shocked by his friend’s appearance and the fact that he might have been able to prevent it if he had just come with him to the bathroom,

  “Oh my god, Tristan, I’m so sorry. I should have been here.” He told him,

  “He woulda just waited until another time when I was alone, bud. You couldn’t a stopped it, you woulda just delayed it.” He swallowed and smiled weakly at Danny’s concern and guilt at not being with him.

  Danny reached out and touched Tristan’s cheek and eye gingerly, examining the skin around the darkening bruise. There was no cut, but there was blood, “Where’s the blood from, Tris? Where else are you hurt?” he couldn’t hide the note of panic in his voice.

  Reuben, always the med student, and always the calm one in a crisis, crouched down beside them and examined Tristan’s head. There was a cut above his right eye, in his hair line. He pressed some clean toilet tissue to the wound. He got hold of Danny’s hand and placed it over the makeshift dressing,

  “Apply some pressure to stop the bleeding.” He always sounded as if he was quoting from an instruction manual, but the tone of his voice always made people follow his orders without question, “You must have hit your head when you fell.” Reuben told Tristan, “You should go to the hospital, Tristan. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

  Tristan winced as he remembered the kick and gently pushed his hand onto his ribs. He gasped and Danny immediately placed his arm around him to support him. With his other hand still pressed to his head he was holding him quite close and Tristan seemed to just melt into his shoulder as if it belonged there. Despite the gravity of the situation, Danny was just a little confused by the way that felt. Suddenly he realised that Rueben was busy telling Tristan that he thought his ribs might be bruised,

  “He kicked you?” Danny asked, anger suddenly building to crescendo. Troy hadn’t just hit him; he had given him a proper beating. His arm tightened around Tristan’s shoulder as his body tensed. “I will fucking kill him next time I see him.”

  “Dude, he ain’t worth it.” Tristan shook his head then groaned as it hurt, “You can’t do anythin’ to him to fuck him up any more than he is already.”

  “What do you mean, not worth it?” Danny shouted angrily and Tristan’s blue eyes widened at the strength of his reaction, “He just beat up my best friend, you don’t think I’m gonna let him get away with that do you?”

  “Just drop it, Danny.” Tristan told him, in a firm tone that Danny very rarely heard him use: it meant that the subject was closed. He was shocked by Danny’s outburst and anger and was very worried that he would go and do something that would get him into trouble and Tristan couldn’t bare that, especially not if it was because of him,

  “Aren’t you even going to report it?” Danny asked and Tristan shook his head,

  “I said, drop it.” He said using that tone again and Danny knew he was getting angry. He swallowed any response to being spoken to so firmly by his friend and pondered what Tristan had told him.

  He always knew that Troy was fucked up: the way he had always behaved towards them, Tristan especially because he was openly gay. Had he detected a small hint of sympathy in Tristan’s voice though? Sympathy for Troy? That couldn’t be possible. He knew Tristan hated him with a passion. He couldn’t help feeling a little confused though. That was probably due to the fact that he was slightly drunk and Tristan’s reaction was probably due to that too.

  Reuben knelt down beside them,

  “Here, Jason got you some ice.” He said, meaning that Jason had been ordered by him to get some ice. He handed Tristan an ice pack and he took it and pressed it to his left eye, “How are you feeling?” Reuben asked in his best doctor voice, “You should get your head and ribs checked out.” He told him, “Did you lose consciousness?”

  Tristan shook his head and winced with pain. Danny’s arm tightened on his shoulders again and Tristan gave him an admonishing look, rolling his eyes, well his right eye anyway. What was with him and the arm thing anyway? He wasn’t complaining, as such, but they had spent a lot of time dispelling rumours about their close friendship only for Danny to blow it all with this “knight in shining armour protect Tristan routine”. The trouble was that Danny didn’t even know he was doing it half the time and Tristan, however wrongly, found this extremely adorable. However he was beginning to feel that Danny’s embrace (because that’s what it felt like) had gone on long enough this time, no matter how much he was enjoying it and needed it,

  “I’m fine, really guys.” He told everyone, carefully moving Danny’s arm from his shoulders so as to not hurt his feelings, “Troy got a lucky punch. He won’t be so lucky next time.”

  “There won’t be a next time, if I can help it.” Tristan heard Danny mutter under his breath which elicited a startled look from his friend. Tristan gave Danny a “We’ll talk about this later” look that made Danny bite his lip. He knew Tristan didn’t like others fighting his battles for him. He knew he liked to think he was tough enough to look after himself. He also knew that Tristan had a very sharp tongue when he was annoyed about something.

  Tristan attempted to pull himself to stand and Danny and Rueben helped him. He shook off their helping hands as soon as he was on his feet and leaned against the sinks, examining his reflection in the mirror. The bleeding had stopped and there was a scab forming on a small cut in his hair line. His make up was streaked where the blood had fallen down his face and been wiped off. His left eye and side of his face was bruised and swollen and would be a real shiner by morning. He gingerly touched his cheek and was handed a cloth to wipe the rest of the blood from his face. He bent his head to straighten his crooked wig and to gather his thoughts. This was the same position he had been in when Troy had walked in.

  He suddenly felt himself remembering and reacting to that kiss. He could still feel the taste of Troy’s lips on his. Troy had moaned with pleasure: not the act of a man who hated everything to do with being gay. Troy had spent the entire first year at College attacking him verbally when ever he possibly could; making sure that Tristan knew exactly what he thought of his “life choices”. He hadn’t imagined that moan, though, or the fact that Troy had initiated the kiss. Tristan hadn’t imagined the other physical reaction either: Troy’s hard on pressed against his thigh then cupped in his hand. He shuddered at the thrill it had given him. If Troy hadn’t punched him would it have gone further? He couldn’t help wondering what it would have been like to fuck him, to be fucked by him.

  He caught his breath and closed his eyes to calm his senses. He gripped hard on the cold porcelain of the sink to steady himself. This was all too bewildering. Troy had kissed him yes, but he had also knocked him across the floor, kicked him and threatened to kill him so he guessed that a fuck was out of the question. He didn’t even know why he was even entertaining the possibility. He groaned, feeling a little woozy, with confusion and concussion

  “You ok?” Danny asked him, his arm around his shoulders again. Tristan shrugged him off,

  “I’m fine, Danny.” He said a little more angrily than he intended, he needed to keep it together until he got out of the bar and Danny’s protective, sympathetic arms would probably make him lose it completely, something he didn’t want to do in front of everyone. Danny backed off holding his palms outward in submission,

  “I’m only trying to help, Tris.” He said, quietly, and Tristan regretted his reaction; he could hear the hurt in his friend’s voice. He turned to face him and flashed him his one hundred watt grin that always made everyone, gay or straight, man or woman, melt inside; everyone except Danny that is, because he could see it was false,

  “I know y’are, bud, I know.” He held out his arm for Danny to link. Danny might be immune to the charms and might have seen the strain behind the smile but he knew an apology when he saw it and linked his arm with Tristan’s. He noted that Tristan leaned heavily on him and
knew he had been right in thinking that he wasn’t feeling quite as fine as he was making out,

  “You ready to go back to the dorm?” he asked quietly and Tristan nodded, seeing the understanding in Danny’s grey/green eyes. Sometimes it surprised him just how in tune they were with each other. Was it any wonder, really, that people thought they were more than friends?

  Tristan allowed Danny to guide him out of the washroom with the others hovering around them. They moved through the crowded bar with Rueben and Jason going ahead and fending off any questions from concerned acquaintances and friends. The fact that Tristan had been beaten up and by whom would be all over the campus by the next day anyway and Troy Parker’s life wouldn’t be worth shit. Tristan had been adamant that none of his friends should go and pick a fight with the man, and they all respected his wishes, but Danny couldn’t help feeling a sense of satisfaction that Troy would get his comeuppance any way.

  The others said their good byes at the entrance to Danny and Tristan’s Dorm building. Elisa and Steph got quite tearful and Tristan hugged them both assuring them he was fine. While this was happening Rueben took Danny to one side,

  “You have got to persuade him to see a doctor, Danny.” He urged and Danny regarded his friend anxiously before turning back to Rueben,

  “I know, Rue, I know.” he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath, “You know what he’s like when he’s made his mind up. He is the most stubborn asshole I have ever known.”

  “If anyone can do it you can, Danny.” Rueben told him and Danny nodded in acknowledgement, “If he won’t go tonight, keep an eye on him, he could have concussion. If he throws up or starts behaving strangely, slurring his words,” he stopped as Danny smirked. This was all typical Tristan behaviour after a few drinks anyway. Rueben smirked too, shaking his head, “You know what I mean though?” he asked and Danny nodded,

  “You guys done discussin’ me?” Tristan called over to them a little snippily then instantly regretted his tone when he saw Danny’s quick, admonishing look.

  Rueben and the others said their good byes and quickly left. Danny joined his friend at the now open door. He had his hands on his hips and his grey eyes flashed angrily,

  “You just can’t help yourself can you?” he said a little more heatedly then he’d intended, “You like to think you are so self sufficient and that you don’t need anyone. Didn’t you see how many people in that bar were worried about you? Can’t you just accept that your closest friends want to help? It’s not a crime to show a little vulnerability sometimes.” He pushed past Tristan who was regarding him now with shock at his emotional outburst, “Would it be so bad for them to know that you’re not always Mister Confident? It’s not a weakness to need friends.”

  “I ain’t stupid, Danny, everyone needs friends.” Tristan told him gruffly as he grabbed the hand rail and started to climb the stairs, “I just ain’t used to it that’s all.” He added more quietly. He stopped with a groan and put his hand to his head. Danny caught him as he wavered. He once more put his arm around him and helped him up the stairs,

  “I wish you would just let me take you to the hospital.” He said softly, his voice full of concern,

  “Danny, I just wanna go to bed. The docs’ll only ask awkward questions ‘n I ain’t ready to answer them right now.” Tristan avoided looking at his friend as he said this, his voice so quiet that Danny could barely hear him.

  Danny instantly knew then that something else had happened in the washroom that Tristan wasn’t telling. He didn’t want to think what it was. He didn’t even want to imagine. He just bit his lip and fought back tears that burned in his eyes; tears of anger that something bad had happened to his friend and he had been powerless to stop it.

  As they reached their dorm room he was fighting the unreasonable urge to go and find Troy Parker and do him some serious injury. He knew it would do no good for him to get into trouble, and worse kicked off campus. His frustration was unbearable though and when they were safely in their room he walked up to his bedside cabinet and kicked it hard, shouting out in anger and in pain because it hurt.

  Tristan gave an exclamation of surprise because he had never seen Danny so angry. In fact he had never seen Danny lose his temper in the year and a bit that he had known him. He didn’t even think the guy had a temper to lose. He was usually so calm and easy going. Nothing ever seemed to faze him except perhaps what had happened tonight. Tristan had heard the note of panic in Danny’s voice when he had found him lying on the floor,

  “Bud,” he said softly, “I don’t think kickin’ the furniture is gonna do anythin’ but get you a sore foot.” Danny gave him a sarcastic look,

  “I’m only kicking furniture because I can’t go out and kick ass.” He said and held one finger up in front of his face, “One particular ass, because you won’t let me.”

  “Dude, what good would it do you getting’ into trouble?” Tristan sounded worried that Danny might actually go out and do it any way, “You would only get kicked off campus, and I don’t want that to happen, no way.”

  “But you won’t do anything to get that bastard kicked off campus after what he did to you?” Danny suddenly shouted, unable to contain his frustration at Tristan’s refusal to report Troy’s attack or get some medical help any more, “It’s like you’re defending him or something.”

  Tristan looked shocked at Danny’s anger, shocked and surprisingly a little afraid. His blue eyes were suddenly wide with fear and Danny instantly regretted his outburst,

  “Jeez, I’m sorry, Tris I didn’t mean to get angry with you. That’s the last thing you need right now.” He walked up to him and put his arm around his shoulders, “How are you feeling? Sit down, won’t you? You look fit to drop.”

  Tristan’s shoulders drooped and he melted into Danny’s embrace once more. This time there was no one else around and no need for him to keep up his act. What had happened had been confusing and draining. He hurt all over and his head spun,

  “Don’t be angry with me Danny, please?” He begged and Danny sighed and held him closer, “I ain’t defendin’ him. I just need time t’think about what happened.”

  “What did happen?” Danny asked, softly, alarmed at a side of Tristan that he had never seen before, scared and needy. Tristan knew he was asking about what he hadn’t told yet.

  He buried his head into Danny’s shoulder taking comfort from the warmth of his friend’s embrace. He wanted to tell him what had happened but the words wouldn’t come. They stuck in his throat, which closed with emotion as he clung to Danny for dear life. Danny was totally bewildered by this behaviour and even more so when he felt Tristan’s body heave with a massive sob. Then his friend’s body crumpled as he began to cry and all Danny could think of to do was to lower him gently to the bed and hold him, his head against his chest, until he cried himself to sleep.

  Chapter 5: Bra Fastenings

  Danny didn’t actually remember falling asleep, but he must have because he remembered waking up. He remembered waking up feeling extremely uncomfortable. Not, strangely enough, because there was a six foot, dark haired man lying across his chest but because he was still wearing his Halloween costume that consisted of some of the most torturous women’s clothing invented; namely suspender belt and bra. He also was still wearing his wig, which itched like hell. He didn’t notice that though because the pain of the belt digging in his hips and the bra wires digging in his ribs was by far the worst pain he had ever felt in his life. How the hell did women put up with these things? He swore he would never call a girl out for going braless again because he had totally walked in their shoes.

  He shuffled a little to try to relieve some of the pain and pressure but he found he was effectively pinned by the weight of Tristan’s body laying the full length of his and half across him. Tristan’s leg was hitched up over his and his head was resting in the crook of Danny’s shoulder and chest. Danny did not want to disturb his friend, he had sobbed for a full hour and a half
, clinging to him for dear life. For whatever reason Danny didn’t have a clue. He had simply calmed him with soothing words, stroked his hair, run his hand over his back in lazy circles, his own thoughts racing, until his friend had eventually fallen asleep.

  Danny had lain awake for a long time afterwards, ignoring the pins and needles from Tristan’s weight on his arm and legs; ignoring the fact that he was actually lying, practically half naked in bed with another man; ignoring the fact that he was still dressed like a school girl. What he couldn’t ignore was the anger that he still felt blazing inside him.