#4-- Infecting The Youth

Xander Joins The Baddies- Infecting The Youth
Part Two


Jared watched the young man crumble, probably taking into account all of the bad things going on in his life at the moment and how no one understood him or ever wanted him... Now the angel was glad that Chance had been so easy to convince to torment the other boy, it was all paying off now. Taking a step closer, Jared smiled down at Xander and placed a comforting hand on the youth’s shoulder. “Nothing too strenuous, it would just be training with the boss really. You understand we wouldn’t want to throw you out there and possibly get you hurt or anything serious like that.” Concern found it’s way into his eyes and voice surprisingly easily, and it floated between being sincere and insincere. Really, he didn’t know the kid at all, so the angel just shrugged it off and chalked it up to him being a mutant and a kid. He placed Kare Kano back on the shelf and turned back to Xander, a brow raised. “Would you like to meet him today? Nothing to be afraid of, he’s a real kitten.” And there was that grin again.

-

Xander was nervous, he could feel his insides turning and wondered if this was a good idea. What if this guy turned out to be something Xander didn’t want to get involved in? With a sigh, Xander looked down at his shoe, he needed new ones. The Jared guy was nice enough and really seemed to care, but his sent was off. Sincerity held a certain calming smell, it was hard to place really, but it was there and Xander had only picked up bits of it while the man spoke, but still… “I’ll need to get shoes first.” He said, not looking up from his favorite pair of new sandals. “Do you know where the shoe store is?”

-

The man looked down as well and smiled, although it was hardly one of his usual smirks or grins- the kid had completely separated rubber from shoe and a white sock was poking out. “Sure, it’s down past the food court, then you make a left and- why don’t I just take you? Besides, a rich brat like you should not be left on his own with so much vermin laying around.” As he said this with a friendly teasing air another glare was aimed at a group of gothic punks not more than ten feet away, eyeing up the pocket which obviously held Xander’s very full wallet. He looked down at the boy and noticed the hesitancy there, and his gaze softened some. “Look kid, I’m not going to hurt you, and I sure as hell am not going to let anyone else hurt you- unless you deserve to get your ass handed to you. The boss just recognizes that you’ve got talent, and that you would learn more under his guidance then at that school.”

-

Ok, what the hell? Xander didn’t need anyone’s protection, he may act naive, but he knew what was going on, he smelled the others around him, he could feel their eyes, he knew what they wanted, and Xander wouldn’t let them have it, he could take them all, one by one or as a group. But one second thought… loosing control in public probably wasn’t the best idea. “All right…” he said quietly as he turned to head toward the door. Jared seemed very protective, and the distinct smell of feathers had peeked his interest in the other man. ‘Get shoes and meet this boss guy?’ he could do this, no big deal, right?’

-

“Alright then, off to make little Xander look fabulous!” Jared resisted the urge to sling his arm around the smaller boy’s shoulders, taking note of the changed mood, and merely walked by the kid’s side, hands resting inside his deep coat pockets, hat placed carefully in one and out of sight. It was a good sign that Xander didn’t follow along blindly- it showed the kid had some sense and could use his head. And it provided Jared with a challenge. As they passed by the shops in a sort of companionable silence, Jared took note of Xander’s build, his walk, his ass- dammit, no! Pedophilia is wrong and he liked his balls attached. “So how’s school life? Got a girl? Boy?” He asked conversationally as they passed by a pet shop and Jared sent a sympathetic look to the beautiful parrot in a too-small cage, making a mental note to kill the owner later.

-

Xander cast Jared a sideways glance, he had a feeling that Jared knew more about him then he was letting on. But he loved talking about Julia, as long as he didn’t use her name… “Yeah, I got a girlfriend. She’s so cool; I really, really like her… I think it is verging on love actually.” He couldn’t help the smile that lit up his face. No matter how upset Xander got, thinking of Julia always made him feel better. Until he thought about her being with Chance right now… quickly his smile feel and was replaced by an indescribable look. “But there is this kid, he is so fucking annoying, he tries to take all her time… like today, she was supposed to come shopping with me and where is she? Comforting Chance, the poor little baby was upset… yeah, right, he just wants her to be his girl, that’s all.” The bitterness in Xander’s voice surprised even him. He never realized how much he hated Chance until just now, and it scared him, he never hated anyone.

-

“And this little runt is trying to take the girl that you love? And you’re basically letting him? And here I thought ferals were more possessive than that... At least, the boss is. But I guess each one is different.” Jared could barely hide his amusement and promised to give Chance a cookie or something later. Apparently this girl could be used in freeing young Alexander Cage of his humanly bonds. Shrugging it off, as if the topic now bored him, Jared merely walked along in silence, taking in Xander’s words without really listening. He had been a teenager not too long ago, and he remembered what it had felt like to get so jealous you wanted to kill the instigator. “So I’m assuming that this girl is undecided about the two of you? I mean, obviously if she were truly yours, she’d be here with you instead of back at that school taking care of another male...”

-

Xander stopped dead, it was true, if she really were his she wouldn’t be with Chance right now. A terrible feeling crept over him and he nearly threw up right there. “But… but I love Julia…” he whimpered, thinking he might cry and had the sudden urge to kill Chance right at this very moment, but as he wasn’t around, anyone would do. Clamping his eyes shut tightly, Xander fought with the animal that laid just a little to close to the surface right now. He couldn’t loose it, not now, people would get hurt.

-

Jared’s eyes narrowed as he took in the pathetic sight, and he stepped closer, just enough so Xander could feel him there. He placed a hand gently on the youth’s shoulder again, although lighter this time, and whispered close to the boy‘s ear, “Why are you fighting against who you are? What you are meant to be?” Glancing down the walk-way, there were only a few people left in the mall, and none were paying them any mind. “For these... things? To keep them safe? Why?” There was genuine curiosity in his words and the angel leaned in a bit closer. “Have you ever asked any of them to not be who they are? Why then do they have the right to deny you of what you were born to be?” His gaze softened and Jared let his arm slip around Xander’s shoulders in a comforting way, hoping the contact would make him feel safe. “We can help you learn control. Over yourself and the weaker species... And over this Chance kid.

Trust me.”

-

The other body being close had a calming effect on Xander, he didn’t know if he could trust Jared or his ‘boss’, but why not? He had trusted the Academy, why not try putting his faith in someone else, maybe someone who could help him? “It’s not for them… I just don’t want to be a killer. I mean, I did… once… but I don’t want to do it again.” He couldn’t help but admit how satisfying it had been to kill someone when he was angry, but he had never wanted to hurt anyone and the look in his parent’s eyes and that of his nanny’s was enough to keep him from doing it again.

-

Jared was happy that the boy seemed to be opening up to him, and decided to push just a little bit more. Really he didn‘t want to hurt the kid, Xander was an alright boy (if just a tad gullible), but they needed him on their side. “I suppose that too is different among people, or it could just be the age difference. When I was your age...” He smiled at the way that sounded so much like his father. “I killed my uncle when I was fifteen, but was terrified afterwards. But when I left home a few years later I found killing to be quite enjoyable. So, perhaps you just need time?” Jared left his arm around Xander’s shoulders and smiled warmly. “It is also a good way to relieve stress.” Perhaps the easiness he spoke about murder might frighten away the kid, but Jared figured it wouldn’t- or hoped, really. He was also banking on the longing look he had caught on Xander’s face when he spoke of killing- even if it had only been a mere millisecond, it had still been there. "Calm down, lets buy you some sneakers or whatever, then the boss-man can explain the rest to you, okay?"

-

Xander looked questioningly at the man, but allowed himself to be led to the shoe store. When they were finally inside and in the relatively private section of the store where his abnormal size could be found, Xander finally spoke. “What is it like… being able to just do it and not care about the person… or their families?” he asked quietly. “I mean, I was eight when I did it… it was an accident, I was upset and well… I was born with these claws, so… I just got so mad, but I didn’t think about it, I just did it.” he felt ashamed to talk about it, not because he felt he had done wrong, but because his parents had pressured him into believing it had been. Xander found himself wondering what it would be like to do it again.

-

“It depends, really... On what you’re feeling at the time, if it’s someone you know, how much time you’ve got to spare...” Jared shrugged and eyed a pair of white sneakers disdainfully. He hated white- it was just too easy to mess up! White shoes were so unpractical- especially in their line of work. “On the whole though the families don’t really register for me, everyone has to die sometime.” Running a finger along the various shoe boxes, he came to a pricey pair that were black with streaks of red and red shoe laces and looked over to Xander; the boy would look good in black and red. “How about these, big foot?” His grin was easy and his tone light enough, so that if Xander wanted to continue their conversation on killing the boy would know that it was okay with him.

-

Xander took the shoes, eyeing them up and deciding to go ahead and buy them. “So, you enjoy it enough to take your time doing it?” it was an odd thought to Xander who had only killed once and did not enjoy it in the least bit. He would have taken it back a million times, but God laughed at his pleas, mocking him. “ I think…” he said very slowly as he paid the cashier for the over priced shoes, “I think I would like to try it again… maybe.” He could still recall the smell of blood and the rush he had gotten from killing the bunnies, but he longed for smarter prey, something that could fool him, make the hunt more of a challenge, more fun.

-

“That can easily be arranged, so long as you don‘t mind adult supervision,” Jared commented, his smile growing. Actually he would love to see the kid in action, enjoying his first real kill, and comparing Xander’s skills to Creed’s skills would be highly entertaining. The two made their way out of the small store, however further talk of future ‘hunts’ was put off as a gaggle of valley-like girls swarmed around them. A few looked longingly at the pair, but those too were quickly around the corner and gone again. “Finding prey in this god-forsaken dump is easy enough, and a druggie or two would be good practice for you... At least to start out with.” Jared gave Xander a calculating look before going on. “Are you ready to meet the boss, kid?”

-

Watching as the girls walked away, Xander almost did not hear what Jared said, the girl who was primed for mating distracted him. A small grin and he returned to the situation at hand, “Um, yeah, I guess… who is he?” he had to fight not to turn tail and head off after the sweet young thing who’s smell was so welcoming… god but he missed Julia. But there it was again, that ping of jealousy he always got when he thought of her and then, by relation, Chance. She could never truly be his as long as that boy was in the picture.

-

Jared noted the way Xander’s eyes had followed the prettiest of the trolls until the very last second when they rounded the corner and he could easily guess why- damn did he love ferals, almost able to hear purring coming from the boy at his side. Grinning, he waited until he had the kid’s full attention before shooting him a mock-annoyed glare. “Top secret. If I told ya I’d have to kill ya and that jazz...” Losing the glare, since it didn’t go well with the grin any how, he merely shrugged and made his way towards the main doors. “Anyways he has way too many aliases for me to name on the spot. You can ask him yourself when we get there... It‘s only a fifteen minute walk.”



A/N: Twisted and I didn’t even plan this out, but if you look at the actor (Jared Leto) who I have representing Jared and the actor (Jake Gyllenhaal) she has playing Xander they almost look like brothers. As time goes by, and I get more of the fics posted, you’ll be able to see how well the boys use this to their advantage! But, enough of that for now- ONWARDS! The plot thickens or whatever… ^^;;