C:SOD Chapter 16

"Why did you have to frame him..." Frost hums in a low tone, caressing his healing bruises that are covered by his sleeve.

"Same reasons as moving a pawn. It doesn't have to eat anything after one single move," A man happily says after re-placing a black pawn on the chessboard. "Your move, Frost."

"Knight to e7," Frost mumbles, still staring at his school through his office windows. Such beautiful gardens, pretty women, handsome men, clean walls, and perfect pavements.

"Aw Frost, you always corner me," the man exclaims with glee, placing his King somewhere safe. Then he goes back to the topic of Hermes Quinn, "You threw off the investigation without my say."

"I needed to keep Hermes out of jail. Mavis never would've forgiven me if he is incriminated," Frost turns his chair and faces the man, face, and eyes still blank as usual.

"Mavis, Mavis, Mavis... it seems like you follow Mavis more than me." He moves a piece. "Are you gay for him, Frostie?"

"You know what I owe him. I have no feelings for him of the sort." This time, Frost moves the piece himself.

The man looks up at him with spite in his eyes, but a smile on his lips. "Mavis is the only reason I can't get to Hermes. Even though you're under me... you will always answer to him. Tell me, Frans... where do your loyalties lie?"

"To the right thing," Frost whispers, turning his chair to face his school once again. "To Carvalle. The only reason I'm doing as you say is because you promised to cleanse it. But this... this isn't the way I wanted it clean. You are killing my students."

"They're not your students yet, you're still a student yourself," the other male chuckles. "An heir. Yet to inherit. And if Mavis lives and turns healthy, then he will inherit instead of you. This was Mavis' school, Frost. It belonged to him and it will always belong to him as long as he's alive."

I know what he's suggesting. "I will not approve of you killing Mavis."

"Then remain loyal to me," he angrily snaps, slamming his Bishop onto the tile next to Frost's King, ending in a checkmate which he can not run away from. Frost remains silent as the other man adds, "Daniel has betrayed me. Au is already slipping... I'd fúcking lose if I lose the twins."

After a mere minute of letting his nerves calm down, Frost accepts defeat in their chess game. "It seems like Hermes is participating in a game he doesn't even know of. He doesn't know where your pieces are, but he is slowly... eating... through... them."

He didn't like that.

"The moment you step out of line Frost, say goodbye to Mavis," even at his win, he is unsatisfied and squeezed his own black rook. "I will continue this mission and soon, Hermes will have no choice but to pay for what his sister has done. Get me the twins."

Frost is facing away from him, so he cannot view the sadness in his face while looking down on the students of Carvalle. Even in a paradise full of porcelain and polished stones, all he sees are fire and bones.

several days later,

Hermes dismissed his current class, staring at the empty seat of Mavis yet again. Ever since the death of a fifth girl, Mavis has barely been attending because of worse health conditions, and he's not telling Hermes either.

That boy... I hope he's okay. The school has been under a gloomy atmosphere and some parents pulled around seven students out to avoid the deaths. Some are forced to do mandatory therapy and there is now a Mental Health Seminar every week. Fifth kid...

"He still has a job?"

"Why is he still here..."

"Probably ráped Angela before hanging her..."

"Can't believe I even liked him back then."

Hermes Quinn has been suspected, which means Hermes is a lot more hated than he was before. At his break, he didn't even go to lunch because he was avoiding his boyfriend as well. His head is all over the place, like pieces of his brain are scattered after a shotgun to the skull.

The breeze is strong on the rooftop, not gentle and scolding him as well. Scolding him not for committing sin, but for entering Carvalle in the first place. The sky is blue, beautiful, but just like Carvalle, it hides the darkness of unknown space behind it.

All of a sudden, something plastic hit him from the head, and he yelps, grabbing the painful area and spotting a discarded BB gun bullet rolling on the floor. Hermes looks behind him cautiously, "Hey! You... R-Rain?"

A young man with a mask of a big frown stood on the rooftop with him, BB gun in hand while his eye is emotionless.

"Mr. Quinn," Rain steps forward and tilts his head, "Forgive me, I was aiming at a songbird. Ray has been requesting for a dead one."

Hermes widens his eyes, "Rain, what?! Don't shoot animals, what is wrong with you boys."

"Oh..." Rain further steps towards him, one hand on his pockets. "So you don't like birds? I could kill one for you."

"Uhh..." Hermes cautiously steps forward, reaching out to confiscate the gun from him. His action was careful and gentle, so Rain allowed him to. "Rain... I like birds. I really... really like animals. So don't hurt them." Jesus fúcking Christ these kids are scary...

"Why are you up here," Rain casually questions, letting Hermes have the gun and stepping around him to go up the railings.

"Rain, don't go on the railings, you're not an acrobat!" Hermes chases after him, who decides to walk along the five-inch thick steel railings overlooking 8 floors of the Johnson Building. "Hey, get down from there! It's dangerous! Where's your brother anyway?”

"He's still sulking the party was canceled," Rain casually answers.

Hermes just realized another event he seemed to forget. "Shìt... uhm, Happy Birthday, Rain... I'm sorry about needing to reschedule your party to next month." It's because of the tragedy.

"Oh, you remember our birthday? How surprising," Rain's one exposed eye seemed to squint of an undefined emotion. His polite tone seemed to come as a very wise older man instead of a teenager. "That's very nice of you, Mr. Quinn. Everyone has been forgetting because of the whole suicide scandal. Even our parents forgot we existed today."

Oh no. I forgot as well. And Hermes feels so guilty thinking about it, and Rain's watchful eye is making him nervous. Such a handsome young man looks so dangerous yet welcoming while looking down on him like this.

"Hey..." in order to get the man off the railing, Hermes offers a hand to him. "It's lunchtime so... want to watch me make you a bracelet? It can be my birthday gift to you and Ray..."

Rain stares at him, eyes seen scowling and giving Hermes an impression that he didn't like that. His negative expression was scary, especially when coupled with his mask.

"A bracelet...?" Rain tilts his head 90°, making his hair fall sideways. "... but... you make it?"

"Yeah, I have a loom band kit. I can get it from my dorm and we can make bracelets in the Plaza. That's the only birthday gift I can think of that's... not so expensive..."

Rain hops off the railing and scares Hermes by confronting him without that much distance between them. "I'd love that, Mr. Quinn. Seeing you make childish bracelets..."

"Childish? I earned a lot selling them back when I was your age..." thank god he's off the railings... "But promise me you won't kill any more animals, alright?"

"You say stuff as if you're 30 years old," Rain chuckles. Finally, Rain's eye goes against his mask, when it is squinting with amusement. It is looming over the shorter teacher with an eerily happy expression.

But seeing those eyes makes Hermes less afraid for some reason. Rain is a lot more respectful, and he offered to carry Hermes' stuff. It's no use living in fear; if he dies in the hands of Rain then so be it. Sooner to be with Thena, sooner to take a rest from Carvalle.

Later on,

CARVALLE PLAZA GARDENS,

"Is it possible to learn such skill?" Rain looks over Hermes' shoulder, slightly disrupting his work of weaving a red and white loom band. But, he doesn't mind because this is the birthday boy. They are sitting on a bench after Hermes retrieved his kit, Rain patiently waiting for him at their meeting place. He seemed to be enthusiastic about this little activity.

"You'll learn if you watch me," Hermes mumbles, focusing on weaving the bands. He needs to keep Rain busy because he's always asking Hermes dumb questions that throw him off like,

"Ray wonders if you shampoo your pubes so they smell the same as your hair?"

"Ray wants you to not put on perfume and not shower for three days..."

"Mr. Quinn, what happens if you insert smoke in the pee hole? Will the penis look like a recently shot gun?"

"Rain please..." Hermes is getting frustrated over this guy, staring at him as if begging him to stop.

"It's just a question. I thought teachers know everything?" The young man chuckles with a deep voice.

"No, we don't. And no, you cannot inject smoke in there. Can you maybe talk about your brother? Not the creepy stuff he asks of me, I just really wanna know about you guys." I just want him to talk about something other than genitalia. He's such... a menace.

"Oh, Ray?" Rain's eyes start to wander, "Ray is fun. Always bright, always happy. Well, most times. It's my job to keep him happy. I straighten our schedule, cut his hair...make his lunchboxes. He loves my meatloaf although I just fry the canned ones."

"You make Ray's lunchboxes?" Hermes finds himself smiling at the thought. He had noticed Ray always calling out to his other twin in times of distress. "That's sweet. Why does he depend on you so much, you're the same age?"

"That's my responsibility," Rain answers with a smile in his tone, as he truly cares for his twin. "The maids aren't so nice to us, so I don't trust them. I've been taking care of him since we were... uhm... really little."

"Rain..." a little boy cries out, a broken vase by his feet. "Rain, I'm gonna die... what am I gonna do?"

"Shh, shut up. You're not gonna die. Go to your room, I know what to do."

When confronting their parents, Rain took the blame, and Ray can do nothing but cry and watch as Rain kneels on salt as punishment for 'breaking the vase'.

Hermes pauses from looming while listening to Rain talk about his brother. He can't help but look at the young man, lips smiling happily as Rain proudly talks of his brother and how Ray is the only one that he can get along with, and feels home to.

"Wow Rain, you got a medal again!"

"Maybe you'll get one next time."

"I don't know, I'm stupid in math... but it's okay, we look alike. It feels like I got a medal, too!"

Rain has the most achievements and is favored by their parents, but only Ray's validation matters to him.

"Ray... is really lucky to have you," Hermes comments, smiling warmly at the boy beside him. How Rain treats his brother reminds him of... "I still don't know why you guys like to wear a mask, though..."

"Ahh..." Rain's eye suddenly falters. "You don't like the masks?"

"Well, it's cute." Hermes looks at him, staring at that handsome, mysterious fox eye exposed by the cracked mask. He honestly answers with a smile, "You look really handsome with it. Maybe you look even cuter without it."

Within the shadows of the masks' holes, Rain stares at that charming smile and under the clay mask, blushes intensely. But, his tone is sad upon replying, "We're... the opposite of that."

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Hermes asks with a genuine sound of concern.

Rain looks away from him, slouching. "We're ugly. So, so ugly. We don't even want to look at our reflection. I'm sure you won't even be friends with us if you see our face."

"Oh come on, that's not true I'm sure you're—" Hermes remembered what Frost had told him, and stopped himself. Don't look at the twins' faces. "Well, appearance doesn't matter. Don't worry about it. As long as you be nice to me, I'll be your friend."

Rain's eye snaps to look at him, once again with an unknown expression. It is very neutral, though, "You'll... really be our friend? I thought you don't like us?" That means he likes us, right?

"Well, not quite. You're pretty calm to be with, and I like Ray's smile a lot. Just... don't kill me or anything," Hermes releases a nervous laugh but stops after a second. They're still potential murderers. Rain is mysterious and Ray is too... weird.

"Hermes." The name caught the teacher off guard. Rain is staring at him emotionlessly. Then, he leans closer which startled the teacher. He whispers, "Do you think we can kill anyone?"

Hermes stares back at him, uncomfortable at the question and the innocently eerie gesture. His heart is beating wildly, as if he is in the presence of a much bigger predator. It's not far from the truth because Rain has tall and athletic build. Now Hermes feels a little unsafe.

"To be honest, Rain..." Hermes sucks just a breath, "I think you can."

Rain stays silent, and Hermes can't translate what his eyes are expressing. Such cold tall young man seemed to be disappointed by the suspicion planted on him. But, Hermes chose to be honest.

And he places a gentle hand on Rain's shoulder, which he didn't expect. But, Hermes offers him a smile. "I think you are capable of doing anything you set your eyes on. But... just because you're capable, doesn't mean you have to do bad stuff. I believe you can, just please don't. You can get Ray a pet bird, just... don't hurt anything. I believe you can keep it alive. You're a tough guy."

Rain is confused on why his heartbeat is less steady and calm in the presence of Hermes Quinn.

Hermes fears for what he thinks, but he feels like he should just be honest. Maybe he can convince them to be a better person, with words of truth. He proudly presents his work to the emotionless boy, "Here. A bracelet, custom made. Do you like it?"

Rain stayed emotionless, because he really can't understand his emotion this time. He switches to his standard stoic expression, but gently breathing out, "I... I like it. It's pretty. I've... never had anyone make these for me before..."

I think he likes it, Hermes finds himself half smiling as well. "Happy birthday, Rain. You seem like a good boy after all... when you're not being inappropriate."

Rain quietly chuckles at him, "Hey, I'm 18 now. Stop with the boy, I'm a man now."

"Sure you are kid," Hermes chuckles, dusting his hands and organizing his kit back to normal. "You've been 18 for less than 12 hours, don't think you're in the same level as I."

"Very funny Mr. Quinn, I scored 152 in an IQ test." Rain keeps trying to convince him of his maturity. He jokes, "Do I need to grow facial hair? Chest hair? I have hair on my balls..."

"I'll call you a man when you're not a freshman anymore, okay?" Hermes taps his shoulder assuringly before standing up to leave. Rain playfully scans him as if promising to tease more, but Hermes says, "I have class in five minutes. Don't worry, I've rescheduled your party one month from now. At least after the late Angela Smith is buried."

"Are you gonna wear a maid dress?"

"No, Rain."

"Ray's gonna hate this party." But, Rain grabs him back by the hand, confusing Hermes when looking back at him. He starts to get nervous, but Rain just calmly removes his own wristwatch before putting it on Hermes.

"Rain, what is this?"

"I'm giving you a gift," says the young man, nonchalantly fixing his watch on Hermes' wrist. The teacher looks at him with amusement, because Rain is acting so pure right now, gifting Hermes his own belonging.

"Isn't it your birthday?"

"I don't want you to forget about giving us a gift," Rain looks up at him, appreciating the fact that Hermes is letting them hold hands. "I'm giving one back... so you won't stop giving us stuff, too. It's not new because... well, your gift isn't bought either. But, Ray really likes this watch. It's supposed to be his, but... he knew he'll break it so he made me hold onto it."

"Why give me such a special thing?" Hermes asks.

"You're older and more mature... maybe you can take care of it more than I can," Rain answers, eyes slightly smiling.

Oh. This kid... doesn't seem to be so bad after all... The watch seems to be really sentimental to him. Rain is smiling while caressing the watch on Hermes' wrists.

"This is sweet, Rain..." I can't complain, it's a Rolex. It seems as if Rain is projecting. His parents don't give him gifts, and now he wants Hermes to fill the void. Aside from trying to get on Rain's good side, Hermes genuinely feels bad for them. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this, Rain. It's really nice."

The student smiles happily at him, before souring Hermes' mood with, "I'll buy you a brand new watch if you wear the maid costume."

after class,

TEACHERS' DORM

Hermes dreads the time when he has to go home to his lover, the Priest, because he is still bitter over what happened. He can't deny that he's afraid of his partner now. But Daniel is the only man who knows of his purpose, and has a purpose of protecting him. Hermes has no one else to protect him.

He stays staring at the door, wondering what will happen if he comes home minutes after the designated time. Why... am I staying with him. I'm a cheater, I keep seeing Au in the 3rd-floor classroom. Our secret affair, I... I keep sleeping with a student. And he...

He has no one else. Making an enemy out of an important asset is a bad move. Daniel knows a lot about the school, and Hermes trusts that he can fish the truth out of him sooner.

Or soon. Hermes is starting to hear angry voices on the other side. And when he quietly opens the door... what is going on?

"Shut up because I'm done with you! You won't churn my head with your negotiating bullshít, Hermes isn't an object and so was Thena! If I want to keep them safe, I'll keep them safe myself. I don't need you, or your little Equestrians!"

"..." Hermes gasps, opening the door even more. Daniel is on a call with the man. Is he using landlines, or a phone? There's only one way to find out, and it's to sneak into the table by the main door and put the telephone to his ear.

"...for that choice. The church can't keep you safe. I can get rid of you whenever I want. And when you're gone... who's gonna keep Hermes away from me? Mavis?" His voice is as smooth and cunning as that night, and Hermes has to clamp his mouth shut to avoid expressing any pained noise.

Please just say a name... please say a name at least... Hermes covers the mouthpiece to avoid getting his breath heard.

"I will not do as you say, I thought you have Frost and the twins for that?!" Father Daniel angrily replies.

"Frost is slipping. He is hesitating. A weakness. He may have told Hermes some stuff. He may have... told Hermes something about you." Silence. Reluctance. Hermes is starting to feel very nervous. "... maybe the reason Hermes is slipping away from you is because Frost told him. Is he really safe with you... Father Daniel?"

Hermes wants to run. He doesn't feel safe. But where will he go; to his dorm that Daniel can just stalk him for? For that man to finally catch him because the Priest is no longer here to protect him? He can't just leave Carvalle either; not without finding justice.

Hermes puts the phone down but not put it back because it will create a sound. He goes back outside before pretending to come back in. At his sudden 'arrival', Father Daniel ends his call with the mysterious man.

"Baby?" Daniel calls out just as Hermes came in to remove his shoes. He looks at the clock and gives the teacher a disapproving look, "You're late."

"I know you're a Father, but you're not my father," Hermes mumbles, removing his coat and tie to make himself comfortable. Although, he's not really comfortable in the presence of his lover. What if he finds out I listened in? What if... he finds out I'm cheating?

"Sassy, are we? Is it the hunger?" Father Daniel kisses him by the lips as their usual greeting, ignoring the unnerved expression on his partner. There is alcohol in his breath, too.

Hermes forces out a smile, "I'm just stressed. You know this whole Angela Smith has students thinking I had something to do with it."

"They will always think of the worst, my love," Daniel takes his hand to give him an affectionate kiss on the hand, "What matters is you're here saf—what is this."

"Huh? What?" Daniel had noticed the watch on his wrist, a very shiny golden Rolex that isn't his style at all. It seemed to have removed the priest's will to smile. "Oh, this? Uhm... it's nothing. New watch—thought I should splurge a bit."

Father Daniel stares at him with an unhappy look, pulling his wrist close. He doesn't look happy at all. "This belongs to one of the twins. A custom design meant only for their family. Did they buy it for you or...?"

Hermes releases a laugh, "Daniel, this is no big deal-" it was cut off when the priest snatches his wrist to shut him up.

"They gave it to you. Why would you accept it, they could put a tracking device on you!"

"Why are you yelling?! And don't fúcking pull me—"

"Take it off," Daniel demanded.

"Wha—why, this isn't a tracking device—" Hermes tries pulling his wrist off.

"You would trust the twins, they work for him!" Daniel is so furious that Hermes willingly accepted a gift from the twins that he forcefully slams Hermes' arm to the counter to remove the watch.

"Daniel no, not Rain's watch! Daniel!" Hermes fights to keep it, pushing his hands off his own. "Daniel please! There's nothing wrong with this!"

"It's a tracking device!"

"It's Rain's watch, he's just a dumb kid, listen to me!" Hermes cries out to defend the precious gift, but Daniel successfully pulled it off of him. Hermes throws himself onto the taller man, "Give it back! Daniel, give it back—"

The older man harshly pushes Hermes away, causing him to crash onto the table with glasses and alcohol. "Ahh—"

"Don't..." Daniel angrily points a finger at him, "Don't fúcking accept anything they give you. You shouldn't even be talking to the twins!"

Hermes starts to sob once he sees Daniel taking a hammer from the kitchen. "N-no... no, don't please! I swear that has nothing in it! Daniel, DON'T DO THIS—"

BAMM! Goes the hammer against the counter, breaking the golden thing and breaking Hermes' heart as well. Rain's smiling eyes can be seen as the hammer slams on it once again, BAMM!

"...maybe you can take care of it more than I can."

"No..." Hermes feels his stomach drop, his heart clenching. Rain, no... his sob can be heard by Daniel, who now witnessed the shocked and distraught appearance of his precious Hermes.

Father Daniel is angry that he refused to have it destroyed. Hermes is pissed too, so much that he turns to walk away from the drunk bástard.

"Baby..." that tone wasn't endearing, that was threatening. As soon as Daniel follows him to bedroom, Hermes starts to run to the bathroom. "Hermes!"

He screams once Daniel pins him against the bathroom door, stopping him from even opening it. Hermes throws a punch, but the Priest dodges it and grabs him by the hollows of the cheeks, pinning him harder against the door.

"Don't you fúcking give me that look, that watch belongs to the twins!"

"It's just an innocent watch, you paranoid fúck! It was a gift!" Hermes hits him to get him to release, but that only pissed him off even more. Daniel throws him to the bed, where Hermes' back hit the edge.

"First you spoke with Frost and now you accept something from the twins, are you trying to get killed?!" Daniel yells at him.

Hermes tries getting away, but Daniel grabs him by the neck and pushes him back to the bed, his strength throwing Hermes far onto the floor. The priest is looming over him so he presses himself against the edge of the bed.

"What did Frost tell you," Father Daniel demands more than asks. As the bigger man kneels, he reaches out, "Tell me what Frost told you, sweetie..."

"What if I don't..." Hermes mutters, trying to push himself off the floor. "Are you gonna hit me again?!"

"I don't want to," Daniel replies, but his finger is once again threatening a scowling Hermes. "But play stupid games, win stupid prizes, my love. What did Frost tell you."

"I don't need Frost to tell me you're a terrible person!" Hermes pulls one leg up to kick Daniel away.

"Hermes, what the fúck?!" As Hermes runs over the bed, his ankle is caught and is pulled back. He is now pinned by the tall priest, before his left cheek stung yet again from another slap, forcing his head to the right. "What did Frost tell you?! Don't fúcking make me ask again!"

Hermes was trying to catch his breath, face numb from the harsh treatment. Again... no, no not again... "Daniel..."

"Honey, please cooperate this time, it's for your own good..." Daniel's breath is also heavy, pinning Hermes by the arms with his own weight.

"After I tell you... we're done. I'm leaving you..." Hermes looks up at him with spiteful eyes full of tears. "Keep hitting me all you want. I'm leaving you the second I say it."

Daniel looks down at him with shock. His head slightly shakes in disbelief, not wanting Hermes to leave him. "No, you can't... you'll die if you do. Baby, he'll get you..."

"I'm gonna die if I stay with you Daniel, I—" Hermes cries and shakes his head No, "I can't do this. I can't... d-do this anymore... you... you've hurt me more than they ever did..."

"Tell me what Frost told you," Daniel whispers, ignoring the breakup unraveling before his eyes.

"So you'll let me leav—" SLAP.

"TELL ME WHAT FROST SAID!"

"Don't hurt Mavis,

Don't confess to you,

Don't look at the twins' faces,

And don't force Au to speak!"

Hermes confesses. "That's all! That's it! Now please, let me go!"

"Is that it?" An angry priest lifts him to throw him on the floor painfully. "TELL THE WHOLE TRUTH."

"Thena didn't take responsibility for her sins, that's why he's after me!" Hermes sobs out, holding his pained face and almost hyperventilating from how hurt he is. "Now please... please... that's all he said..."

Hermes' voice broke, all because of the sudden pain inflicted on him. After a long while of staring at the crying man, Father Daniel snaps back to reality. He... he didn't tell Hermes about me.

"Shít," Daniel curses, the mere spit of his voice causing Hermes to flinch and curl in fear. "SHÍT, I messed up! He manipulated me!"

"He manipulated you?! You're fúcking hurting me, you son of a bítch!" I need to go... Hermes, run... But his legs refuse to move. They're cramping, the pain of a thousand needles pricking Hermes' skin. "We're done... we're over, Daniel. I can't stay with someone who demands with his fist!"

"Hermes if you leave, he'll come after you, this is what he wants!"

"What is it that Frost was supposed to tell me, huh?" Hermes spits at him, slowly scooting away from this deranged alcoholic man. "What it is about you that Frost was supposed to tell me?"

"Baby..."

"I don't need to know. If it's so bad that you know I'll leave you for it, I'll leave you now!" Hermes' cramps finally faded away and he hops out of bed, yet slightly trips because of his recently recovered legs.

"Hermes, you can't fúcking leave—!" Father Daniel catches up to him and pulls him right back into the bedroom, locking the door. Now crying and afraid, Hermes tries looking around for anything that can be used for defense.

A fearsome Daniel gets to his level with a threatening look on his face, whispering, "I let go of Thena once. I let her go to him because that's what she wanted. Now look at what happened to her."

"What did you do..." Hermes sobs, noticing the cut on his cheekbones courtesy of Father Daniel's ring. "... you did something bad..."

Daniel stands up and looks down on him with a dead serious look; so deadly, Hermes fears for his life. Father Daniel finally confesses, "I worked for him. Told him all the bad things the students confessed to me. He has a list of students to get rid of... all because of me."

"Don't confess your secrets to Father Daniel."