Manipulations of the Heart

Later that evening, Cory and Fox left together for Cory's hotel. "You're just
visiting?"

Cory nodded as he unlocked the door. "I'm just here to finish a job. I'll be
leaving next week."

Fox wondered if that might appease the Professor, but then remembered this was a
test-- he was supposed to prove himself by killing Cory. It occurred to Fox that
it would be a lot easier for the both of them if Grysher would just accept his
love and not require constant proof in the form of actions with which he wasn't
comfortable. But, Grysher would just accuse him of being weak, and start to
wonder if he had indeed made a mistake about Fox being the man he had thought he
was.

Cory was approaching him now and he prepared himself to respond favorably when
Cory pulled him in for a kiss. It wasn't long before he was no longer
pretending. Cory was no amateur in the art of seduction and he had decided to
help Fox forget about Grysher as much as possible.

Fox had never realized sex could be so enjoyable. With Grysher, it was more an
act of necessity, because it was what Grysher wanted. There was pleasure of
course, but nothing so mind-shattering as what this man was putting him through.

When the time came that he should have put a stop to it, in order to kill Cory,
he was lost in a haze of pleasure and it didn't occur to him until it was too
late.

When Cory lay beside him asleep, he realized that he had failed. He felt lost.
He didn't kill the man, and he didn't want to. Grysher would never forgive him
for this. He physically began to shake... his mind kept telling him that he
could still fix it. Kill the man, take his head and Grysher would never know the
difference. There was a small voice in his head that said it was too late and
maybe that was a good thing. Just allowing the thought to surface made his
stomach lurch.

Cory awoke when Fox left the bed to rush into the bathroom. He waited until Fox
returned and stopped him from dressing by standing up and putting a hand on his
shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"It wasn't supposed to happen this way. I was supposed to kill you and take your
head." Fox stood there waiting for the man's reaction, embarrassed to realize he
was crying.

Cory decided to dwell on the most curious statement first. "Take my head? You're
not immortal." He wondered how long it would be before that statement would no
longer be true.

"Grysher wanted you dead. You stole his property and I had to prove myself. But
I just can't do it." He brushed a hand across his face, to wipe away a tear.

"Why couldn't he just challenge me like a normal immortal?"

"He said you didn't deserve a chance to defend yourself and that it was my
responsibility to kill you. If I truly loved him."

Cory winced. He pulled Fox back onto the bed and decided to comment on the
bruises he had noticed earlier. "Does he do this to you every time you anger
him?" He covered a bruise with his hand.

Fox flinched. "When I need it."

Cory had been abused often enough by his 'friends' -- usually for dragging them
into his plans. He never enjoyed it, but it didn't bother him much either. He
healed quickly. But it was irresponsible of Grysher to treat the young man this
way. Fox was still mortal. He wouldn't heal within minutes, or even hours, until
after his first death. A 'condition' that no one could tell Fox about until
after the fact.

"Has he asked you to kill for him before? To prove yourself?"

Fox looked away. Cory gently pulled his head around to face him.

"Usually it's to keep us safe. If I love him, I'll protect him from those that
wish to harm us. But, he says that to kill -you- would prove my love." Fox
unhappily stared off into space, refusing to look into Cory's eyes.

Cory whistled. "I can understand you're killing for safety, but has he actually
killed anyone for you?" He hoped he wasn't totally mangling his point by talking
about murder and love as if they were related.

Fox did look at him then. "He doesn't need to prove himself to me."

"So, why should you?"

Fox had asked himself the same thing just a few hours before. "He needs me to."

"What's good enough for you should be good enough for him." Cory gently rubbed
his new lover's arm.

"He deserves better than me. I need to make him want me." Fox tried to make him
understand.

"I want you and you don't have to do anything more than smile."

"You just want to put one over on the Professor."

That annoyed Cory. "Fox, I couldn't care less about the Professor. You don't
have to believe everything he tells you. You go to Oxford for God's sake. You're
intelligent enough to think for yourself."

Fox looked stricken and Cory was contrite immediately. "Baby, I wasn't kidding
when I said you were beautiful. What has the Professor been telling you anyway?"

Fox knew he was betraying Grysher by telling this man anything. The Professor
would never want him now. Cory wouldn't stay and he would be alone again. But he
found himself telling Cory anyway. "If others knew me the way he did, they would
never accept me, much less love me. While he loves me in spite of it."

Cory already realized this, and doubted it was the only thing Grysher had ever
said, but it was obviously the part that stuck out in Fox's mind.

//Damn, the problem with helping people with psychological abuse was the time it
would take. Give me a good bank robbery any day.//

If he was serious about helping Fox, he would have to stick around. He would
also have to challenge Grysher. The Professor wouldn't just release this man
willingly. //Was Fox worth it?// Then his seldom-heard conscience made an
appearance. He normally ignored it, but he heard it this time. //You use the
needy and less fortunate to excuse your criminal tendencies. How concerned are
you, really, in the welfare of your fellow man?//

Cory chafed at the very idea that he was insincere and decided to prove to
himself that he wasn't a fake. He looked at Fox, willing him to believe. He had
no idea what the right thing to say could be, but he had to try. "The man's a
liar, babe. That's not love. It sounds to me more like he's using you, making
you into something that -only- he could love. You're worth so much more than
he's letting you believe. Nobody is perfect, yet people seem to fall in love
with each other all the time. You just haven't had a chance."

Fox suspected Cory was right. It was as if everything he had been thinking was
now being voiced aloud by a virtual stranger. But there was no escape, not
anymore. "Grysher would never let me leave, even if I got the courage to try. I
think he might even try to kill me, rather than let me free."

"He probably would. Listen, I've got a plan." Cory wondered vaguely why people
seemed to get nervous whenever he said that. Fox didn't berate him though;
instead he just waited to hear the idea.

"I'm gonna challenge Grysher. We'll tell him you did try to kill me, but I got
wise and prevented it. I'll call him a coward. That should get his attention."
He grinned as he imagined the man's reaction to such a statement.

"He'll have difficulty believing I failed." Fox wondered if he truly loved the
Professor as much as he'd thought. After just a few hours spent with Cory, he
realized that for awhile now he had been doubting everything he had believed for
the past 3 years. The question now, he supposed, was whether he really 'needed'
the Professor so desperately that he could continue to betray his own
convictions? Did he really want to continue killing to prove his love? The
longer he remained with Grysher, the more he felt his own self fading away, as
he attempted to become what the Professor wanted him to be. But, could he allow
Cory to try to kill the man, just because he wanted to get away?

"You're just a child compared to me. He can't expect you to have the ability to
kill me if I got wise to it."

"He would know it wasn't true because he's spent the last 3 years training me to
kill, with emphasis on pressure point blows. He knows I can easily execute them
and be successful without being noticed." Fox began to get agitated as he
realized the truth in his own statement. Until recently he had never allowed
himself to believe the Professor could possibly have been training him for such
a life all along. But the more he thought about it, without Grysher's
overbearing presence to cloud his judgement, the clearer it was that the
Professor had probably been planning this since the beginning.

"So that's why he has you do the killing to protect the pair of you. But anyway,
you won't have to worry about whether he'll believe it or not, because I won't
lose." Cory made the assurance confidently and then he tried to grasp the idea
of pressure point blows. "Does he study this pressure point thing?"

Fox shook his head. "The Master wouldn't teach him because he's immortal, but he
taught me because I'm not."

Cory suspected something wasn't quite true in that statement, but doubted that
Fox realized it. "I want you to remain here. You don't have to, but I think
you'd be safer. He might decide to kill you before the fight, just in case he
was to lose." Cory began planning for the coming morning with the same
excitement he usually felt before a heist. He wouldn't allow Fox to be brought
into the game so soon, not if he could help it. Fox had enough problems to deal
with, he didn't need to worry about fighting for his life too.

"Are you sure it's me you're worried about? Grysher's told me all about the
Game. I know you immortals try to kill each other so you can be 'The One'. Are
you sure you're not just using me to get his attention so you will have the
chance to kill him?"

"I don't buy into all that immortal stuff about the Game, and that 'There Can Be
Only One' crap. I wouldn't be challenging him if not for you. I don't go around
killing people for the sake of it. But if I don't kill him, will you be able to
leave him? Will you even want to, once you go back to him? If you don't want me
to challenge him, I won't." Cory wasn't going to do this against Fox's will. He
wanted to help the man, but he wouldn't force him into anything.

The idea that Cory would do this for him was unbelievable. He still held doubts
that it was purely for him, but the idea of freedom was too appealing to quibble
over semantics. Fox made his decision quickly. "He usually has me in the
background to make sure he doesn't lose." He realized his actions hadn't been as
honorable as he had always deluded himself into believing and he lowered his
eyes.

"Well this time you won't be there to 'assist' him. Without you, he'll have to
fight clean."

Fox's expression was bitter as he remembered the past few years from a different
viewpoint. "There are some young men he's been working with lately. They aren't
students at the University and I doubt he's teaching them philosophy. I wouldn't
put it past him to call on them to take my place. I wouldn't trust him."

"I won't. Now I want you to try to get some rest." Cory readjusted the pillows,
and nodded at the space next to him as he lay back down. He didn't feel that now
was the time to deal with Fox's feelings of betrayal. He would need a lot of
time and encouragement to really get through this period. He wanted to deal with
Grysher first.

Fox obediently lay next to his new lover and was soon asleep. The doubts
relegated to his dreams. Shortly before dawn he awoke screaming. It was a
surprise because he hadn't dreamt of his sister's disappearance for over 2
years. Grysher had considered the memory a danger to Fox's well-being and had
attempted to 'exorcise' it. He also considered it bad for his own health to have
Fox wake him from a restful sleep, so he would punish Fox when he suffered from
any type of nightmare.

Cory's tone was soothing as he attempted to wake him. "Come on baby. Wake up
now. It's just a dream."

Finally Fox became aware of his surroundings and he apologized profusely, almost
desperately.

"Hey, we're all allowed our fears. It's okay now. You wanna talk about it?" He
vaguely remembered hearing somewhere that it was good to talk about these types
of things.

So Fox told him about his sister, and her kidnapping. Cory didn't laugh or
berate him the way Grysher did when he spoke of the light and her floating
through the air.

Instead, Cory nodded seriously. "I was kidnapped once, about 25 years ago. They
didn't know I was immortal and thankfully they never found out. I remember the
bright lights and floating through space too. But I always figured it was some
sort of planted memory to make me -believe- I'd been abducted by aliens."
"I'm not sure, maybe it is." Fox couldn't swear to anything. "I remembered
through hypnotherapy and dreams. I can't be sure of anything. I used to have
nightmares about it all the time, though."

Cory didn't comment on that. Instead he focused on the statement Fox had made in
the beginning. He had been watching his sister while their parents were out, and
his father had been furious with him for letting her be taken. Now he understood
why Fox had been so susceptible to Grysher's special brand of 'love'.
"It wasn't your fault she was taken. You were just the scapegoat. Easy to blame
because you'd be unable to defend yourself." He began to caress Fox's arm.
Fox didn't argue or agree. Instead, he moved to snuggle in with Cory and after a
moment of the silent comfort, he turned just a little and licked Cory's almost
hairless chest.

It was completely unexpected and Cory laughed. "Fox, you're beautiful." He moved
to hug the now self-conscious man.

Fox liked being called beautiful. Grysher had never been much for compliments.
Since Grysher had never bothered much with foreplay either, he felt rather
inexperienced. But he had been trained to do certain things and he had always
learned quickly... so he did what Cory had done to him earlier that night.
Fox lowered his head back and lightly bit at the nipple closest to him, his
thumb rubbing the other. He figured he must be on the right track when Cory
moaned beneath him. He licked a trail down Cory's belly to his cock.

Meanwhile, Cory was drowning in sensation. The first time, he had been in
control, with the impression that Fox was unfamiliar with real love-making. Now
he wasn't so sure, but he was determined to let Fox go at his own speed.
Fox took hold of Cory's erection, and brought the leaking head into his mouth,
rolling his tongue around it.

Cory gasped. //Oh God. Patience? Not likely!// Before he could voice anything,
he felt that moist warmth entirely surrounding his cock.

Fox had a hand on Cory's hip, holding him still. He began to use his mouth and
tongue to steadily build the other man's need to a level he'd never personally
reached. The soft, desperate moans and whimpers told him that Cory was close.
Cory cried out as he came into the young man's throat. Fox sucked him dry and
let the now limp cock drop from his mouth. He moved up until he was face to face
with the panting man.

Cory smiled weakly at him. "Thank-you, Fox." He reached out to pull the man in
for a kiss, spreading his legs in obvious invitation. His other hand began
stroking Fox's semi-erect cock and it began to harden immediately.

Fox was surprised at the offer and broke off the kiss as he fumbled for the lube
Cory had used earlier. //God, if you exist, don't let me mess this up.// He
forced himself to banish away all thoughts of Grysher and slicked his fingers.
He ran a hand over Cory's leg as he pushed in one finger, then two, preparing
him the way Cory had done with him earlier. He found and stroked the man's
prostate, hoping he was doing it correctly. His confidence grew when Cory began
to move frantically beneath him, practically fucking himself on his fingers. Fox
used another finger and Cory began begging him senselessly.

"Come on Fox. I'm ready.... I need you, NOW!"

He whimpered when Fox left him to prepare his cock and groaned with relief when
he felt Fox return-- positioning himself above and guiding himself into his ass.

Once inside the tight heat, Fox began to move at a slow, cautious pace.

At the first touch against his prostate, Cory cried out. "Harder Fox. More
already!" He rarely had lovers that took as much care in his pleasure as he did
with theirs and he was beginning to understand their impatience.

Fox obeyed as he took hold of Cory's erection. He thrust in harder and faster,
pumping his lover's cock in time with his movements. He was close. He gripped
Cory's shoulder tightly and drove into him almost brutally. He could feel his
orgasm building. He squeezed and pulled on his lover's cock, drawing more
frantic moans from him. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he came with a
shout. Cory followed soon after and stared sightlessly at Fox for a few moments
before he fell into a deep satisfied slumber.

Fox used a towel to clean them off and then he lay next to him, his head on
Cory's chest. He fell into a dreamless sleep.

An hour or two later Cory awoke. With a shiver of excitement, he remembered he
was planning to challenge 'Professor' Grysher today. Even though he wasn't known
for his fighting skills, he was no coward. He had taken some heads in his time,
and with his profession it was necessary to stay in shape, so he wasn't too
worried about the upcoming fight. He was only worried about Fox.

Fox seemed to sense his wakefulness and was immediately alert.

"Good morning." Cory sat up with a contented smile and leaned over and kissed
his new lover.

Fox returned the kiss and smiled back. "Good morning."

"Today's Sunday, Fox. Sleep a little longer." Cory petted the light brown hair
softly. Fox nodded and shut his eyes obediently, listening as Cory got out of
bed to take a shower. While he lay there, he thought about what he would have to
do. When Cory returned, freshly showered and shaved, it appeared Fox had indeed
fallen asleep again. He gently shook the young man's shoulder and when Fox's
eyes focused on him immediately, he wondered if it was normal for him to sleep
so lightly. Fox had seemed surprised to be awakened by nightmares, even though
he had apparently been plagued with them quite often.

"I need to call Grysher and set up a meeting." He watched as Fox wrote down a
number on the hotel stationary. "Are you going to stay here then?"

"Probably." Fox nodded. There was no turning back now. He knew that Grysher
would never forgive him for failing to kill Cory. After the revelations of the
night before, he wasn't even sure he cared. Now he could only hope that Cory was
as successful as he expected to be. The thought of being alone was intimidating,
and he wondered if he was indeed prepared to start a new life without the man,
but he was certainly willing to try.

"It'll be all right." Cory got dressed. He unpacked his seldom-used sword and
hid it beneath the jacket he wore. "When this is all settled, we can start to
look for a more permanent residence." He checked his appearance in the mirror,
before he walked to the phone.

Fox nodded. "All right. What!?" He couldn't believe Cory was serious.

"You still have to graduate, right? Unless you don't want me to stay." Cory was
careful not to let his expression reveal any of his own inner doubts.

Fox shook his head. "No, it's just that I thought you were leaving next week."

"That was before I met you. I'll stay as long as you need me." Cory was
determined to help the young man, no matter how it chafed to be tied down.

"Thank-you." Fox went into the bathroom when Cory picked up the phone. He
couldn't bear to listen as they discussed killing each other. Especially since
they wouldn't be, if it weren't for him.