Chapter 8

Heru drove to Billy’s lab ready to pick up Drake and his older brother. He couldn’t help thinking about his past as he went, remembering Drake and the first time they met. It was the reason he was here now, the reason Heru was actually interested in Drake. If he thought about it, Drake was also the only reason he was alive.

When he was a kid Heru had nothing. No parents or any kind of family. Drake had been young himself at that time. When Heru was just a little boy on the streets Drake was probably just entering his twenties, and already taking an interest in the city’s conditions. Young Drake had a very keen interest especially in the homeless and the orphans.

Heru was six that night. Summer, raining, and he was out on the streets. It was one of the few years in his life where he actually had anything as a child. He had a tattered blanket he found in a dumpster, a little stuffed doll, and a broken umbrella he managed to fix up enough to have some shelter. And probably his favorite thing that year, he had his own little place to hide from the weather. It wasn’t much, just a space behind a big dumpster. And compared to most of the other homeless kids he had it good.

Until three other kids came that night and beat him up, took everything he had. Drake found him that night cowering in a doorway in the city, sneezing, coughing, crying. All the other adults had walked right past him, but not Drake. No, Drake went right over to him and kneeled down in a puddle, handing him an umbrella, taking off his jacket and wrapping it around the young Heru. He was smiling and reached into a pocket, pulling out a few hard candies.

“Here, keep these in your mouth and suck on them. It might help you with your cough for a while. Do you have anywhere to go? Any place you can get out of the rain?” the boy Heru shook his head. “You want to go see a doctor if you’re sick? Or would you like to come and find some shelter for an evening and a nice hot meal? Come on, I’ll take you to a nice place. You’ll be safe with me.”

Before that day, and just about every day since, Heru couldn’t remember such kindness. He went with Drake and got cold medicine, hot soup, fresh clothes, everything he needed and wanted. Drake found a nice place he could stay every day. Heru was actually placed in one of the first decent orphanages in the city. The new prime minister, more than twenty years ago, made it a point to visit Heru every week at least once for a little over a year.

The young tornado admired him, loved him for what he did. At his young age he knew Drake was his savior. It was the start of his love for the man. Although originally it was a healthy admiration, as he grew up his respect for Drake became something else. He was reading about everything his idol did or planned. He read about how Drake set up more orphanages and safe places for the homeless. All his actions inspired Heru to admire, and love him. He had gotten the idea into his head that Drake did it all because of him, and he wished he could help. He wanted to be closer to his idol, to see him again and touch him, to be at his side.

And now here he was, personal driver for a prime minister. So teasingly, tantalizingly close to his dream. And the closest he had come was a single kiss Drake hadn’t even enjoyed, and which was interrupted by his assistant Rynn. Drake hardly seemed to care about him, why did he still try? “I’m obsessed. I’d do anything for him and I know it. Haven’t even asked if he likes me. Oh well, maybe next time he’s alone in the car with me.”

He pulled up in front of Billy’s lab, wondering why his boss had even come to such a place. He stopped the car and got out, opening the back door for him. Then he noticed Blake. “Looks like your brother’s out cold. I don’t think I even wanna ask. Okay, I’ll go around to the other side, you gently set him down and I’ll pull him across, fasten him in somehow. Guess you’ll have to take the front passenger seat.”

He was a quick thinker. Blake would be fastened down in the back, he was out for some reason, and in the front seat maybe… just maybe Drake could be kissed. Not instantly of course. He’d get him talking about his day, keep him distracted for a bit. Sooner or later he had to have an opening. Heru was certain if he could just get one kiss and not have it interrupted Drake would give him a chance. Or this could get him fired and out of a job again, but it was easily a risk he was willing to take.

Together they carefully managed to get Blake into the back and fastened securely. Not that they would be speeding down the roads at night or anything but it was still for his safety. And secretly it was also so Heru couldn’t be interrupted if he had a chance with his boss. Drake took the front passenger seat and smiled. “You know I’ve always wondered exactly how these things work. Never been a mechanic, never had my own car. I’ve had the money for them but I guess I always figured my wings would get me around just fine. So where’s the key?”

“You sure don’t know much boss. It’s a finger print scan. Keys can be stolen, it’s a lot harder to swipe someone’s hand just to get a car running. So, you must have had a busy day. New prime minister, elected into office and shown where you’ll be working for a long time hopefully. Worrying about your sister and your best friend at home, and your brother going back out on patrol as an officer sooner than the doctors wanted him to. And this place. I don’t know why you’d come out here but I’ll be getting you home safe. Tell me all about your day, I’d like to know what trouble my boss has been getting into.”

He started up the car, pulling out of Billy’s lab and taking them back to Drake’s place at a very comfortable speed. Driving at night after all, he didn’t want to hit anyone. As they went Drake told him about the whole day, all the hard parts, the boring session meeting all the other representatives. Throughout the story Heru would make simple replies and comments. “Oh, is that so? Sounds boring to me.” He even made a few little attempts at humor. “If he ever tries to stun you again boss I can always try to hit, I mean miss him with the car, heh.” When Drake started talking about Blake and hearing how he had some problems Heru reached over and gently put his hand on Drake’s leg. “I bet that had you worried sick. Heck, if I had an older brother and I heard something was wrong I wouldn’t care what it was, it would still make me feel sick. Well, he’s here now and he’s out of any danger, sleeping like a baby.”

The whole time Heru had really only been using his left hand to drive, resting his free arm on the space between himself and Drake. And his boss hadn’t really been concerned, he had excellent control over the vehicle. Knowing Heru’s prior intentions toward him though, Drake was a little nervous when he felt the hand rest on his leg. He waited for a moment, hoping Heru would know to back off instead. Eventually he gave Drake’s leg a gentle pat and took his hand away.

“Right. Well, that lab there is a pretty interesting place. Met some good people there. And Billy’s going to fix up Blake’s arm thing. In the meantime we’ll have him get those burns treated. And I really should have taken a look at what sedative they gave him, but he’s okay. Blake’s had worse happen to him.”

They remained silent for a while. There were so many things Heru wanted to do and ask, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Drake had so many things he could say but had promised not to mention to anyone. By the time Heru pulled up in front of Drake’s home the silence was getting unbearable. Neither one of them opened a door to get out, just sitting in silence.

“Oh just kiss him already Drake. It’s not gonna kill you. Just kiss him or get out of the car.”

Drake turned to the back seat, staring at his brother. Blake was still laying down, smirking. His eyes were closed but that smile… “How long have you been awake Blake?”

“Oh, since about half an hour after you got to the lab. I was just listening to everything and hoped I might find out who Protector is. Didn’t quite work but I now know waaaay too much about all those gadgets in Bill’s lab. And as far as I’m concerned if I never go back there it’ll be too soon. Yeah, that means you carried me to the car for nothing and I could have walked. And I don’t feel like moving because my arm still feels like it’s on fire.”

Heru glanced back at Blake, then over to Drake. Without waiting for permission, or any kind of acceptance, he grabbed Drake and pulled him into a kiss. Blake was laughing in the back seat just watching his brother struggle to get away for a moment. “Okay Heru, that’s enough. Let him breathe again.”

Grudgingly, Heru let Drake go and stared at him. His eyes showed a deep longing. Drake looked at him and he could tell. If his driver had a chance he would have kept kissing all night. There was such need in his expression and Drake didn’t understand why. Why was he so special to this tornado? He practically jumped out of the car and felt like throwing up, dashing inside. Soon enough Blake and Heru followed, and the first thing Blake did was show him to the guest room. Crimson smiled at their guest.

“If you’re hungry sir I can make you something real quick. Must be pretty tiring driving that thing all day. We won’t mind if you stay the night. Just relax for a bit, besides, Drakey’s just going to need you to drive him around in the morning anyway.”

With a huge grin, Heru nodded. “Why thank you miss Crimson. I’d be delighted. No need to make me anything thanks. I suppose I’ll see you in the morning.”