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Living close enough to school to walk there had some advantages. One didn't have to hurry to catch a bus, nor rely on someone to pick them up. It made things a lot more convenient for a lot of people, no having to juggle schedules or worry about rushing out and risking messing everything up by being slightly tardy. And if one wanted, they could take a detour once school let out, go somewhere else without being a bother or a burden if so desired.

Cale liked this measure of freedom. Having two busy parents in his life, he couldn't ask them to take the time to pick him up after missing the bus, which was something he'd probably have done more than a few times given how he was. Since they usually weren't home, either, he wasn't always in a hurry to just rush back to his house; sometimes he could do something else, like today, when he ducked into the woods behind the school to avoid a potentially unpleasant confrontation.

The further obscured the school was in the trees, the more at ease he felt. He wanted to be very much out of sight, though out of mind was too much to hope for. It wasn't the school's fault, the fact that there were supremely unpleasant people inhabiting it wasn't something it had any control over.

The school had a few bullies, as most high schools did. Gavin was one of the worst, pushing around just about anyone and everyone he could. Any chance he could get, he messed with people, almost like he had something to prove. Cale wasn't a target of any particular significance, he got made fun of for being a bookworm, for being smaller than Gavin, for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but Gavin didn't really single him out. But any attention from him was bad enough. At least when it happened, all he had to worry about was Gavin - he didn't tend to travel in groups like some of the others. Usually that meant it was reasonably easy to stay out of his way.

Well, usually. Today, the shark seemed to have a bone to pick with him. After being shoved around a couple times, he'd gotten a bit of payback in class when he'd pretty blatantly corrected a mistake in one of Gavin's responses to a teacher's question. While he couldn't really call the shark stupid, he definitely made some boneheaded mistakes, and it felt good to have that pointed out. Of course, the look Gavin gave him afterwards was frightening, and he knew he'd have to make himself scarce for a while. It would've been nice if he could wait it out in the school until Gavin got a bus or something, but he was a walker too, and Cale knew he could track him down and make his statement away from where anyone could stop it. Taking refuge in the woods seemed like the best course of action, Gavin never came out there and indeed seemed not to even acknowledge it was there.

There wasn't really anything to see out there - he'd been over this area numerous times, this wasn't the first time he'd taken solace in solitude out here, though usually it wasn't refuge from a bully. There were a few trails, nothing formally kept up by the school but well-trod by the naturalist club and other student orgs. Cale enjoyed walking them, though, they were pleasant and relaxing even if not visually interesting. It was a chance to get the stress out of his system, get a bit of exercise, some fresh air, and try to get Gavin out of his head.

At least, that had been the plan. And for a little while, it seemed to have worked...until a sharp voice cut through the quiet like a knife, stabbing him with terror. "Figured you'd scurry off like a fucking coward out to a little hidey-hole out here...I'm not that stupid."

The lizard spun around, eyes wide, shock and disbelief ringing in his head even as he knew exactly who it was. Sure enough, it was Gavin, and Cale could tell he was out for blood.

"Bet you thought you looked like a big man out there, making me look like an idiot in front of everyone, huh?" He was advancing slowly, drawing out Cale's terror; the lizard knew he was faster and stronger and that if he was planning to get him there was little he could do to stop it. "Well, I guess you fucking got your moment. I'd've liked to have made a big show out of putting you in your place, but I guess out here at least I'll be able to do what I want without anyone stopping me."

"D-don't...don't come...any closer..." His voice quailed badly, there wasn't anything but fear in it. He'd seen Gavin in a bad mood before, but it had never been directed at him...he wasn't sure what was going to happen. Could he go far enough to kill?

"Or what? You think you can take me? Ha! I'd like to see you try...wonder if they're ever gonna find you out here, don't know if you'll even be able to move when I'm done with you..." Now Gavin was advancing more quickly, and Cale was retreating just as fast, stepping backwards unsteadily, too scared to take his eyes off of Gavin; the shark was big, but faster than he looked, and Cale wasn't sure he could outrun him. Even if he could, there was nowhere to hide, and he couldn't keep it up forever.

"Please...I'm sorry...just...don't hurt me..."

"Fuckers like you need to be put where you belong. You made me look bad, and I won't fucking stand for it...I'm gonna make sure you don't EVER speak out of place again. You brought in on yourself."

It sure sounded like Gavin was going to do something worse than usual, and Cale now realized that coming out somewhere where he was alone was a really bad idea. Ho looked around, trying to find some possible way of getting out of this...but he never had the chance to even form a plan. His heel hit something, and he went down hard, nearly biting his tongue. In pain, he looked down and saw what had tripped him...it looked like the handle of a shovel.

He scrambled around to try to get up, but Gavin was beside him in moments, giving him a swift kick to the side, causing him to cry out. "How do you like that, fucker? Big brain ain't gonna get you outta this one!" He kicked again, catching Cale in the ribs. "Show you what happens when you fuck with me!"

Blood was starting to pound in Cale's head. The beating was hurting, a lot, and he was starting to get into panic mode. His hand groped around, closing in on the shovel handle...

A third kick sailed into the side of his head. Cale cried out as his vision blurred, pain exploding through his skull...Gavin was saying something but he couldn't really hear it, not through the throbbing pain or the pounding of his heartbeat. The laughs, the indistinct taunts, all they did was ring around in there...flooding his head with the memory of all the other times Gavin had lashed out at him, pushed him around, teased and belittled him...

Something in him snapped.

Gavin suddenly howled in pain as a fist crashed into his shin. He stumbled back, hopping and cursing, not realizing that Cale had gotten up, the shovel in his hands. The shark looked up just in time to catch the flat of the shovel blade crashing into the side of his head, the impact knocking the spade clean off and sending the bully crumpling to the ground. In the next moment, Cale was above him, slamming the bare handle into the bully without remorse.

"Fuck you! Go to hell you piece of shit!!" Cale's near-screams were barely more intelligible than that as over and over he whaled the shark. Some of the splintered ends dug in as they hit, drawing blood, but he didn't relent, blow after blow hitting the downed bully. It must have been thirty or forty strikes before Cale got a hold of himself, panting hard, vision still unclear, rage still burning in him.

"You hear me, Gavin? No one likes you! Everyone would be better off if you were dead! So fuck off and leave me alone, go guzzle a magnum or something!"

Hurling the shovel handle into the woods, he stumbled off, still reeling a bit from the blows he'd taken, especially with the adrenaline wearing off. His head got hazy as he got out of the woods, and the rest of the trip home was a complete blank.

---

Most of the rest of the day was like a dream, with only a few hazy, indistinct memories sticking with him. His parents seeing him bruised and bloodied. Him telling part of the story but making little sense. Being cleaned up and then put to bed without fanfare or complaint, and then falling into a fitful sleep.

He felt immensely sore the next day, with large bruises on his head and body, some bandaged cuts where Gavin's claws had caught him, and the weight of guilt almost crushing as well. Only now was he becoming aware of how far he'd gone against Gavin, both in blows as well as words...that wasn't like him, or at least not like he was normally. What if he'd beaten Gavin enough that he was still in the forest, dead or dying? What if he'd taken what Cale had said to heart and offed himself?

The weekend was mostly spent recovering and worrying. His parents got a more coherent story out of him eventually, though he left out just how harsh he'd been to Gavin, leaving it at hitting him with the shovel in the head. They didn't punish him at all for it, convinced he'd just been defending himself, and said they'd defend him if he got in trouble at school. Cale had his doubts that they could really have that much impact, but it was something...something they'd probably regret if they knew what he'd really done.

He kept his eyes on the news and the internet almost all the time, looking for any sign that things were worse than he thought. No word on any bodies being found or anyone being reported missing came in, which gave him hope that he hadn't killed Gavin outright...though that didn't exactly put him all the way at ease. It was entirely possible they wouldn't find him until school came back in on Monday.

It was hanging over his mind constantly, and by Sunday night he was rather a wreck. He tried to get his mind off of it by going onto the net, onto his favorite art website. Looking at the fantastic works they could come up with was one way of letting his mind relax and get off of the stresses of life. In particular, there was one who was especially cathartic, an artist who went by the name Silvalune, his style just seeming to have this energy that melted away his frustrations...but as he looked them up, he found that they hadn't posted anything new for several days, not since he'd looked at their gallery last.

He let out a long sigh. As if he needed more to be unhappy about.

---

Waking up in the morning, he was dreading going into school. Someone would have to have learned about what had happened by now, and he was certain that trouble would be coming for him. He'd probably have to go in, confront a teacher, maybe get suspended, have to face down the wrath of Gavin and maybe his parents...at least it would probably be kept quiet.

He was dead wrong, as usual. Almost the moment he arrived, he was swarmed by a mob of students, all clamoring about him.

"Wow, look at those bruises!"

"If that's how bad he looks Gavin must've really been messed up!"

"Dude, you're a hero! Finally someone stood up to that asshole!"

"This is so great, now he'll be way too scared to mess with anyone else, because they might get back at him like that!"

Cale had no chance to explain anything, to try to claim it was just him snapping and that he wouldn't want to do it again, or that it wasn't some kind of statement against Gavin, as the bell rung shortly thereafter. Not that he figured they would listen, anyway; like it or not, he'd become the face of their revenge fantasies, and his motivations were theirs. They hounded him all the way to class, and if he thought that getting into class would be the end of it, he was sorely mistaken - students crowded around his desk and continued to jabber towards him and each other until the teacher finally got control over things several minutes after they were supposed to start. Through it all, Cale tried mostly to ignore everything, take no notice of what they were saying or try to start any fights or arguments. He'd had enough of that for a long while.

He did, however, notice the empty seat in the corner. Gavin wasn't there.

---

The rest of the day proceeded in much the same way, though the throngs eventually settled down. Many people still wanted to hear more from him about what happened, and at some points it got so intense that he started worrying he'd crack and make a scene, which was exactly what he didn't want. But things started to disperse towards the end of the day, and he got enough of a reprieve that the feared breakdown never came.

One thing he'd predicted did come true: he had to face the music. Near the end of his third period, he was called to the office, where the principal and counselor were waiting for him. The old weasel was looking down at him rather severely, while the tigress was less severe and more sad. Cale felt bad about that; she hated violence and was constantly trying to mediate between students and keep these kinds of things from happening. She must have seen it as a failing on her part. Cale didn't blame her; some people were beyond her help.

"I heard about an incident last Friday...would you mind telling us about it?"

Cale gulped. "I...I was just walking along the path in the woods, and Gavin...he chased after me, because he was angry about something that happened in class. He pushed me to the ground, and kicked me a few times...one time was in the head. It was after that that I hit him back, with the shovel. I...I wasn't trying to hurt him, I was just trying to get away, and I couldn't think straight because he'd just kicked me in the head."

They were quiet for a moment, like they were waiting for him to say more. He was hoping they weren't going to call him on hitting more than he needed to...no one else had been there, they couldn't have heard what he said or anything...

Eventually the principal sighed and adjusted his glasses. "You should consider yourself lucky. Because school was out for the day, and you were far enough away that it was beyond the grounds proper, we can't really punish you for the fight. But I'd better not hear about any more of these incidents, you hear me? I don't care if your record is spotless, if this turns out to be a pattern, I WILL find a way to make sure it doesn't affect anyone else here."

"Loud and clear, sir." It felt like an empty threat - Gavin had been harassing people for so long, and they didn't do anything meaningful about it. And he didn't bother mentioning that that was probably why Gavin had pursued him out there in the first place, so he could avoid getting the hammer for what he had intended to do to Cale. Instead he counted his blessings that he wasn't facing a suspension and headed back to class.

---

And the next few days passed uneventfully. Kids were still cheering him for his actions, even though by now he was trying to downplay them as much as possible. And Gavin still didn't show up...by mid-week, Cale was really starting to get worried. It wasn't like Gavin to skip school, in fact he rather enjoyed being around because he could push people around so much more easily than anywhere else. His absence was bringing back to the surface all of his original fears...that he'd injured the shark too badly, or that maybe he'd committed suicide, or attempted it and gotten sent to the hospital.

No one else seemed to care. But then again, they were all victims looking for a hero...not the person who'd actually committed the act. The last thing they would have wanted was Gavin to show up and spoil their enjoyment.

He did eventually notice that a few of the students were avoiding him - the other bullies in the school. Apparently they were concerned that they might be next in line for his rampage or something, even though he'd not shown any signs of bothering them at all. They seemed to be keeping to themselves entirely, in fact, not bothering the other students either. Perhaps his "act of defiance" was having more effect than he'd even intended, getting them to think about the potential consequences of their actions - after all, if he could snap, who was to say any other student wouldn't do the same?

His concerns got stronger by the day, and it was getting harder to deal with them. Others weren't any help - the one person he tried to confide in seemed not to care at all, asking him why he was worrying about an asshole like that after what he tried to do. That had led Cale to realize that no one could really relate to what had happened; to them, it was deserved justice, they hadn't been there and hadn't seen the damage done. They didn't know the emotional turmoil he was going through...and there was no way he could impart that.

Despite the throngs of supporters, he didn't know that he'd ever felt more alone.

---

Being a high-schooler, Cale usually looked forward to the weekends, but this one was perhaps the most anticipated one ever, finally a break from everything school-related, a break from the students and the teachers and the whispers and the gossip and everything that was really starting to get to him. Maybe the next week the furor would truly die down...he didn't know, but that was his hope, a hope he clung to in desperation.

Friday night, he decided to check in on Silvalune again. He hadn't really felt up to looking at art the past several nights, too much fretting on his mind, and he was hoping that the passage of time would have him back in the saddle and doing what he did best. It was a joy to see him post his works...he had several artists who he followed, who impressed him, but Silvalune was something else, there was something so powerful about what he posted, so alive...Cale could feel better just by looking at a few of his works for a few minutes.

He clicked on the page and it opened in moments. Again, no new art...but there was a journal entry. It wasn't something that usually caught his interest, but the title of this one was hard to ignore:

"I'm a piece of shit"

It was startling to see that. Silvalune had had his share of complaints about things in his life before, but he'd avoided the pitfall of self-loathing as far as Cale could tell. To crash down this hard was a big thing, and had him concerned. With trepidation, he clicked on the link, opened the journal entry...and immediately wished he hadn't.

What was contained within was a vicious diatribe of self-loathing, hatred, rife with foul language that Silvalune almost never used. It didn't mention anything specific about why, but it felt like an outpouring of emotion that couldn't stop, blow after blow against someone he looked up to so much, someone he cared about on some level despite not knowing him personally at all. There were several mentions of suicide, which was even more disturbing...they stopped short of threats, but even that talk had him on edge.

What on earth could have happened to him? This is so...it can't have just come out of nowhere, something had to have triggered this. I wish I knew...I wish I could help in some way...

He scrolled down to the comments, wanting to leave some kind words of support, something about how inspirational they'd been to him...and then one conversation stopped him cold.

"I don't know what happened, but I know that I care about you, and it's terrifying to see you this way. You're a good person, and I hope you see how much we all like you."

"You wouldn't like me if you really knew me. No one who really knows me likes me. They'd all be better off if I was dead. That's what they told me. I should just go guzzle a magnum and end it."

Cale's jaw couldn't have dropped faster if it had been detached from his head. It can't be...

It was lunacy. How could Silvalune be Gavin? Cale had always known him to have vocal disdain for everything artistic...someone with this kind of talent couldn't hate art that much. But the words that he said...Cale could almost hear them echoing in his head, almost the exact words that he'd said now coming out onto the screen.

Could it...just be a coincidence? It...I hope it is, but...I don't know. I won't be able to sleep well until I find out.

Once the seed was planted, there was no stopping its growth. He spent the next hour poring through Silvalune's past journal entries, examining them for evidence for or against Silvalune really being Gavin. There wasn't a lot to go on for the most part - personal details were kept to a minimum, something Cale did himself, so hardly unexpected. A few references to local events, small-scale enough that it would be unlikely for them to be well-known outside the city, were starting to make him lean towards it being the truth, and getting confirmation that Silvalune was a shark helped as well...but it wasn't until a very early journal, mentioning the name of his high school, that the truth was made undeniable. The exact same high school name as his...maybe there could be more than one in the world, but with everything else on top of that he knew for sure that there wasn't going to be any wacky coincidence. How he'd missed this before, in three years of following him...well, it wasn't like he came onto the site to look at the journals, and he'd never really had much reason to before.

Holy shit. It really is him...how? He's like a completely different person here...he's not at all like the Gavin I know. If this is really him...then why was he such a nasty prick at school?

He certainly didn't know, but now he had to find out. And there was a good way...a quick internet search was all he needed to confirm the shark's address. He knew the area fairly well, it was a bit more upscale but also near the high school, he'd been by there quite a bit in the past. Of course, the hard part wasn't getting there, it was what came after...and he wasn't sure what that was yet.

---

When he woke up Saturday morning, he found that he really didn't want to do what he was thinking of doing. It seemed like a bad idea...initiating contact with Gavin was already taking a risk he probably didn't want to take, but he couldn't just let that sit. Going to his house could be even worse...what if his parents knew what had happened? What if they had blood out for him? The thought was terrifying...but every time, his mind went back to the post by Silvalune, the torrent of self-loathing and talk of suicide. No matter what, he couldn't have that on his conscience.

So, without letting on to his parents where he was going, he slipped out of the house and headed over toward's Gavin's residence. It really was a nicer area, the people who lived there certainly had money and influence...he'd actually contemplated calling the police on Gavin once after a particularly nasty threat, but when realized where Gavin lived he'd chickened out. Maybe his mind had been too influenced by media, but he wasn't sure he trusted the cops to take a rich vs. poor snit seriously. Not that he was poor, but...well, when one side was rich, that was usually the image.

It took a bit longer than it had to to get there than it should have, mostly because he was dragging his feet; more than once he almost decided to turn back. Competing fears were his constant companions, but the fear of Gavin's fate won out, and by the time he reached the house he was intent on seeing it through as much as he possibly could.

The house was nice, as expected for the community; Gavin came from considerable means, he'd heard the shark brag about his father's business experience and power before. Perhaps where he got his own attitude...still, something about the house unnerved him, he got almost a sense of melancholy from it, like the niceness was a façade hiding something. What that was, he didn't know, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out...had Gavin already done something to himself? Was that it? He hoped not...it hadn't even been 24 hours since the journal, but that was still plenty of time to harm oneself.

Drawing in a deep breath, he stepped up to the door and knocked. It took a minute, but the door finally opened, and a slightly portly shark lady was standing behind it. "Um...hello?"

"Hi. I'm, uh...looking for Gavin. Are you his mother?" It felt like a stupid question, but he wasn't sure what else to say.

"Yes, I am. Call me Maria, dear...come on in, if you're looking for Gavin he's inside...though, I don't know that he's ready for any visitors, he doesn't usually get them here." She moved aside to let him step in, and he did so, finding himself in their kitchen. It was rather small and a bit cluttered, and it was clear the shark was in the middle of making something.

"I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, ma'am...I just wanted to bring Gavin his homework."

Maria looked down at him, and he couldn't quite tell what she was thinking. "That's kind of you, I suppose...I'm not sure how much he'll appreciate the gesture, though. He's been in an awful mood, and I haven't been able to do much about it."

Yeah, that's kind of my fault. "I'm sorry to hear that. I know this won't really help, but I've been worried about him."

"That's very kind of you, er..."

"Cale."

"Cale. I'm sorry to impose on you, but maybe you could...well, talk to him? I haven't been able to get two words out of him as to why he's acting like this. Maybe having a peer to talk to will help..."

Cale swallowed. "W-well, I can try..."

"The hell is this?" Suddenly a deep voice rumbled out from the far doorway. Cale jumped a bit and looked over; a large, imposing male shark was glaring down at him severely, looking at Cale like he was nothing but filth. "We keep a clean house here, we don't want garbage hanging around."

"Argent, dear..." Maria sounded more nervous than chastising, and Cale suddenly wondered if this wasn't a bad place to be. The shark had to be his father, there was a definite resemblance in physique that made it an easy guess. And he reminded Cale a lot of Gavin, both in size and in attitude, and if Cale struggled to deal with the latter then the former could easily murder him. He needed to tread carefully.

"S-sir, I'm just here to deliver something to Gavin. I won't cause any trouble, I promise."

"Hmph. See to it that you don't. At least the worthless boy's put someone in his place. You'd better stay in line, boy, or he'll be the least of your problems." Argent turned around and walked out, and Cale let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

Maria shook her head solemnly. "I wish he wouldn't do that...Cale, please don't talk to him. He doesn't usually do more than talk, but he's been in a bad mood because of Gavin...I'm worried about what he might do."

"I'll avoid him as much as I can. Um, is Gavin upstairs?"

"He is, second door on the right after you get up there. I appreciate you doing this...I know he's not exactly the easiest person to get along with. If he gives you any trouble...well, I don't know that I can do that much, but-"

"I-it's fine, ma'am. I...should be okay. But...thank you." Cale gave her a courteous nod before heading for the stairs. He hoped that he wouldn't have to take her up on anything, if he did it would mean he wouldn't be able to get through to Gavin, and he didn't want to think about what might happen if he couldn't.

The stairs creaked under his feet, making him feel even more nervous. His hands were a bit shaky as he reached the top of the steps and made his way to the door...he could feel his heart beating faster than ever. This was a mistake, this was such a mistake...I'm gonna be so fucking dead... Slowly he stepped up, to the door, taking deep breaths to try to keep himself under control. Finally, he was there...there was no turning back, he steeled himself and gave a knock on the door. "Gavin? It's...it's me, Cale..."

He heard thumping inside, almost immediately as his voice came out. A couple seconds later, the door was yanked open, and suddenly Cale was grabbed bodily and hauled in. In the next moment, he was thrown onto a slightly disheveled bed, regaining his bearings just in time to hear the door slam and see Gavin advancing on him. The shark was wild-eyed, but it looked more like astonishment and terror than anger. "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" It was like a mix between a yell and a whisper, he clearly wanted to intimidate but didn't want anyone downstairs to hear.

"Well, it wasn't for roughhousing again, that's for sure," Cale replied, put out by the moment of chaos. "I came here to bring you your homework for the last week, so maybe you won't fail."

"You think I give a flying fuck about that?! I oughta pound you into the floor for coming here like this for something so stupid!"

"Well, you certainly sound like you're back to normal." The lizard looked Gavin in the eye, not letting him have all the intimidation factor. It was odd, maybe, but after what had happened and what he'd learned Gavin didn't really scare him as much anymore, at least not when he was actually looking at him rather than just imagining him. Not that his heart wasn't still going way too fast... "Look, that's not why I'm really here. It's just an excuse so you can tell your parents why I was here. I wanted to talk."

"What's there to talk about? You nearly fucking killed me out there, and then just waltz in here like you own the place! What, you want to finish the job? Or apologize, like it means anything? Whatever, you beat me, fine, you don't have to rub it in!"

Gavin was already making this tough, and now Cale was getting irritated. He wanted to get the shark under control, and he was pretty sure he knew how. "I'm here because I'm concerned about you. I know what you've been going through, Silvalune."

Gavin's eyes widened in shock and horror, and his jaw dropped before he could hold off his reaction. Too late, he tried to collect himself. "Th-the hell are you talking about, you dumb lizard? I-I don't know anyone by that name...stop being stupid."

"Uh-huh. That explains why you nearly had a freak-out when I said it. Don't try to hide it, Gavin, I'm not just taking a wild guess here. I saw your most recent journal. You talked about killing yourself, and you almost word-for-word said what I said to you in the forest. You think that didn't freak me out a bit?"

"H-how...how did you..." Gavin shook his head, his anger had been subdued by something almost like mortification. "How did you find out? I thought I hid it so well..."

"Gav, I've been following you for almost three years now. I only just found out that it was you by that journal. Believe me, I never would've suspected in a million years. But now that I know, I needed to talk to you about it, because what you said scared me. I don't want you to kill yourself, I didn't mean what I said there, I was just angry-"

"Right, like I believe that." Gavin's voice got huffy, but he could hear the angsty undertones all too clearly. "I know no one fuckin' likes me. What does it matter? A couple years down the road I'll just be a bad memory to them either way. Bet they've all been celebrating that you took me down like that. But I swear to god, if you tell them about this, I'll make the forest seem like a picnic...if it gets me a reputation...if my dad finds out I still do this stuff..."

Cale didn't want to reveal how right Gavin was about the other student's reactions, so he was glad that the shark instantly went elsewhere. "I won't tell a soul. But...I don't get it. Why? I see Silvalune talk and he's...friendly. Kind. Don't have a bad word for anyone. And then you act like an asshole to pretty much everyone you meet. What gives?"

Gavin was silent for a moment. "...Why do you care?"

"Because you're getting suicidally depressed because you think no one likes you. And it never had to come to that. You could have treated them like Silvalune treats others-"

"I can't do that. I can't let them just...walk all over me. If I don't show 'em who's boss, I'll never get ahead in life. The guys online, they don't matter, they don't really know me and they can't do anything to me."

It sounded irredeemably stupid to Cale, like a dumb excuse that didn't really justify anything...but he thought before he spoke. "How does that get you ahead?"

"You know...no one messes with me, they do what I say...I can order 'em around and not have to care about what they think of me...it'll mean I always get what I want, always get to be the boss of everything..." There was something about the way Gavin said it that hinted at a larger story to Cale. And he already thought he had an idea what that story was about.

"And that's what you really want?"

"...Why wouldn't it be?" It was a hollow response, and they both knew it.

"Does it work for your dad?"

Gavin growled at him. "Don't say a word about my family-"

"I just asked if it worked for him. I didn't say anything."

"...he gets his way more often than not. And he's told me that's what I have to do. None of this sissy artsy shit, that won't get me anywhere. I gotta be tough, strong, feared, and art doesn't do that."

Cale folded his arms. "So that's why you're such an asshole to everyone? Because he wants you to be?"

"Why? You gotta problem with that?"

"Do you?" The question silenced the shark cold; Cale could see the uncertainty in his eyes, the questioning of what he'd been saying. It occurred to him that this had to be far from the first time that had happened...but maybe the first time he'd let someone else see it. "You can tell me the truth, Gavin. I swear, I won't tell a soul."

The shark seemed to deflate, and he slumped into the chair by his desk. "...Yeah. I hate it. It's fucking awful. Dad...always tells me that he got where he was by never taking shit from anyone and giving out a whole lot of shit to everyone else. He doesn't accept anything less from me, either...he gets royally pissed off at the idea of me not following in his footsteps. I'm kinda his pride, but only if I act the same way he does."

It was a rather surprising change of perspective to Cale. "You always seemed to enjoy it."

"Well...kinda, but not really. Like, I make myself enjoy it, so that I don't have to think about it...like, I try to think of it as a game, and everyone else is the enemy, because then I can feel happy about getting things the way I want. But...then I go online as Silvalune, see people who don't know this and are just, you know, nice and friendly and stuff, and...it feels like, what the fuck is the matter with me? Makes me feel fucking fake, just like the game. Made up so I don't have to deal with him. Whet I started to get into art, he nearly hit the roof...I have to pretend all the time that I'm not doing it anymore, it gets harder all the time to hide it. But if he knew I still did it, he'd demand I prove myself even more."

"You have to prove yourself by pushing everyone around?"

"Pretty much. He wants to know that I'm building a reputation like his, that I'm doing what he wants me to do. If I get notes about my behavior from school, that's a sign from him that I'm doing it right. The way he sees it, school's supposed to be a training ground for me, practice in throwing my weight around. I have to prove to him that I have the attitude and mindset and toughness to run his business."

"Huh...you want to run his business?"

"...say a word about this and I'll skin you alive and use your hide as a shield."

"So that's a no?"

"To hell with his business! I don't really know WHAT I want to do, but it's not that. I just...right now, I just want to do art and figure out what I'm good at. But I can barely even do that because I've made just about everyone at school an enemy, because Dad wants it that way. And I don't know what he'd do if I didn't go along with it."

Cale didn't like the sound of that. "You don't think he'd hit you?"

"Like I said, I don't know what he'd do. He...he's only hit me once. When he told me that art was for shitty sissies and that that's what shitty sissies deserved. Mom told him that if he did it again they were done...but I don't think he believed her. I don't think SHE believed it...she doesn't really like what he does but she's afraid to speak up. I...I think it hurts her to see what I do, she doesn't want that kind of life for me, and it keeps me awake at night knowing that she suffers because of it."

It made Cale a bit ill himself, especially remembering the scene from when he'd just been downstairs. What on earth was he getting himself into? It wasn't like he could stop now, though. "So maybe it's time to do something about it."

"Oh, fuck you. Like it's that easy!"

"It's not easy. Not by a long shot. But you know it's wrong, and you're about the only one who can actually change things. If you're worried about her suffering, and you know what can be done to end it...well, that's a course of action."

Gavin glowered at him, arms folded and looking for all the world like he'd rather just toss Cale out the window. "Why do you even care? What's it to you what my problems are, and who has problems with me? You of all people, what's your deal?"

"It's because I know what you're really like now. And I know what you really WANT to be like. You're Silvalune, and that's the only place where you can feel like you can really be you. That's your escape from your dad, and from everyone else. That's who you want to be, and if you were that to everyone, no one would have a problem with you."

"But I can't. My dad would..."

"Would what? Try to hurt you? Try to kill you? You're already on the verge of doing that yourself...do you think that's what he'd really want?"

"..." Gavin's silence was not promising.

"If that's what he wants, then he goes down the moment he does something to you. Being a jerk is one thing, but if he gets a criminal record, that'll ruin his business pretty damn fast. You gotta try to stand up to him...for yourself, and for your mom."

Gavin tightened up an the mention of his mother. "Damn you...using her against me like that..."

"It's hardly using her against you. I know you're worried about her...you know it, too. You're as scared for her as you are for yourself. You're doing this because you're scared of what he might do to her...but if he keeps getting his way, it'll give him more confidence that he can get away with anything. Sometimes...the only way to get someone to back off is to fight back against them."

"Mmph...guess you're right...hell, it worked for you."

"Yeah, but I went too far."

"I pushed you into it. You wouldn't have done it if I hadn't gone and tried to teach you a lesson. As if you were the one who needed it..."

"I know. We both screwed up. That's why I'm gonna help you."

"You're gonna...what?"

"I'm gonna help you get back to what you want to be. To everyone, not just us."

"W-wait, hang on! You said you weren't gonna tell anyone-"

"I'm not. You are." Gavin looked stricken at the idea. "You're gonna...apologize to the people you've pushed around. You're gonna explain to them that you know you were wrong and that you're trying to change. And they're probably not gonna believe you right away, and you're gonna get a lot of shit for it before they come around. But I'm going to stand by you, and support you, and tell them that I trust you. Because I do...I've seen the side of you that's kind and good. And maybe it'll take some time, but your attitude will prove to them that you're for real."

"But...but if I do that..."

"Yeah, your dad will know. But maybe it's time he learned a few lessons himself...like that you can only push someone so far before they shove back, hard. That's why I'M going to tell him about how I nearly murdered you."

"What?! You can't be serious, he'll tear you apart!"

"If I told him today, probably. So I won't tell him today. I'll tell him after you've started to change, and he's noticed. Maybe he'll be plenty pissed off that you aren't following his dictates anymore...but maybe he'll rethink that when I tell him about what happened between us, how his vision for you nearly cost him his son. If that doesn't get through to him, then he's probably a hopeless cause...but maybe it'll start him thinking about what others might do to him. Whether he's pushed one of them hard enough that they might snap..."

Gavin shook his head. "I think you've completely lost it. It's nuts."

"Well, you hit me pretty hard on the head, so maybe I've got a few screws knocked loose. Lord knows the entire school's gonna think so. But I've got my own penance to do, and this is the road I'm choosing to walk. I can't make you take it...but let's be real here, you've already told me you're sick of how things are, I think you know what you want to do."

"...Fine. I'll give it a shot. But...hell if they're gonna listen to me after all this time."

"Probably not right away, for sure. It'll take time...but at least it's time you won't be making more people hate you, and time you won't be making you hate yourself."

---

Cale wasn't entirely sure Gavin was even going to show up for school on Monday; the shark hardly seemed enthusiastic about going through with what they'd talked about before he left. But he did finally show up, sullen and a bit standoffish; he didn't seem to want to be obvious about what he was doing with Cale, and the lizard gave him a respectable distance until the end of the day.

He still seemed easier to deal with than the other half of the equation.

"You can't be fucking serious." A fox boy by the name of William looked at Cale like he was completely out of his gourd. He wasn't quite a friend, but they'd griped to each other more than a few times about being victim's of Gavin's viciousness. "No way. Not a chance."

"Look, I'm serious about this. Gavin wants to apologize. This isn't a set-up, I wouldn't do that to you. I've been a victim as well, but I'm trying to fix things."

"Do you even know what he's done to me?!"

"Do you know what he did to me?"

"Well, yeah, the whole damn school knows-"

"So if I can still face him after that, don't you think you can? Do you think I'd ever put you in this position if I thought it would put you in danger?"

William gave him a long and hard stare, and Cale knew he wasn't happy even with that assurance. "Fine, but I'm not coming unarmed. If he comes after me..."

"That's fine, just don't be too jumpy."

And so it had been set up. After school, face-to-face, victim to bully, for an apology and a mending. At least, that was the intention, but Cale wasn't holding out much hope of mending. William had been hurt pretty badly, emotionally and physically; it was probably too much to hope for that he'd be placated by an apology.

At the end of classes, Cale led William to the designated meeting spot near the loading dock of the school, away from any audiences. Gavin was already there, sitting on the ground with his back against the wall, and it was surprising to Cale how nervous he looked...he'd never really seen the shark like that before. When they arrived, he scrambled to his feet, trying to look a little bolder, but he couldn't hide his feelings very well.

"Gavin...here's the first one."

"Shit..." Of course Gavin knew who it was, though it seemed to take him a bit to latch on to the name. "Uh...um...William? Will? Bill? However you want it...I, uh..." The withering gaze of the fox was brutal; how was this possibly a good idea? "Listen, I...I put you through a lot of shit over the last couple years...I, uh...I was gonna mention some but you, um, probably don't want...don't need reminding...well, I...look. I'm...I'm sorry." He gave a dry-mouthed swallow, struggling to keep his voice even. "I...you didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve any of it...you, you didn't...you didn't do anything wrong. I...I hurt you, a lot, and...and that wasn't fair. I...know you're probably angry with me..."

"Angry with you? Angry with you?" Suddenly William stepped forward, and the torrent of fury even got Cale to take a step back. "You've made my life miserable, you colossal piece of shit! You made me hate to even get up in the morning because I didn't know if I'd get through the day! You made me want to kill myself, and I almost fucking went through with it! And you think you can make all of that go away? That you can just apologize and it'll all be good? NO! I wish you'd been offed out there! Everyone would be better off! I still hope someone has the guts to do it!"

He turned away from the shellshocked shark, storming back inside. "Go to hell and stay there, Gavin. And fuck you too, Cale. Don't talk to me anymore."

The two watched him go in, not moving until the doors shut and his presence was gone for good. Finally, Gavin slumped back against the wall, sighing; Cale could see him shaking a bit, and went over to join him. "Well...that went like crap."

"Y-yeah...it did. I'm sorry...I didn't know how bad it had gotten for him. If I had, I would've started with someone different."

"It's fine...least I know they feel just how I thought they felt about me."

"I...some of them will probably say things like that. I don't think all of them will. They're...gonna be angry I guess. But forgiveness isn't easy. You've started it, but you'll have to do more to prove you mean it...then you'll see something. Apology's just the start."

"Y-yeah...I know...I guess I'm not very credible right now. I sure wouldn't trust me."

"I wouldn't say that. William did trust you...if he didn't, he wouldn't have responded like that. He'd've spotted it a mile away if it were faking...and being genuine is hugely important. That's how you get people to listen...though, you'll have to listen to them, too."

"Yeah...fuck, I...I'm shaking from that...it feels awful, getting that kind of anger targeting me...I guess I know why my dad doesn't let it happen. Am I...really just that weak?"

Cale shook his head. "It's not weakness. You're...making yourself vulnerable. Giving them an opening. That's...hard, yeah. But...it's something good for two reasons. For one, vulnerability makes them feel less afraid. And if they're less afraid, they're more willing to listen, and to eventually forgive. If you're not seen as some terrifying monster they can't do anything about, you'll get a lot farther."

"And the second?"

Cale wasn't sure if he should say it, but laying out the raw truth was probably for the best. "Well...the way you felt? That's the way everyone felt about you, and most of them still do. Think about how crappy that feels for you, and think about how much you've made them feel that way...that should be another incentive to keep up with it."

Gavin looked at him, a little darkly. "Sheesh...you don't do anything half-assed, do you?"

"Sorry..."

"No, it's fine...I'm gonna have to learn to live with it, won't I?" The shark let out a sigh. "I dished it out, taking it's part of making up for it. It's that...whaddaya call it, karma?"

"That's a good way of putting it. It'll be worth it in the end, though. I promise."

"Mmph. Just hope I make it to the end..."

---

The coming days were the hardest for Gavin. Very few people bought the sincerity of his apologies, and there were more than a few that outright refused to even let him talk to them. Those who did talk generally were like William and had wickedly harsh words for the shark, laying into him and turning back all the hell he'd given them over time. Still, those weren't the ones that hurt most - no, that honor belonged to the quiet ones, who just looked at him with pain obvious in them, saying nothing other than that they weren't sure whether they could forgive him. Those were the ones who made Gavin feel the worst - screaming and yelling was payback, but these were people who would never throw at him what they had taken, and it felt unfair, somehow, that they didn't express their anger at him.

It wasn't just people who he'd pushed around that were causing him trouble, though. Other bullies saw his change and took it as a sign of weakness, and they didn't hesitate to prey on him. Cale was horrified the first time he saw the shark beaten up by them...it reminded him a bit too much of the one he'd laid on the shark before. He made a point of helping tend to his wounds, despite Gavin's protests; he wasn't going to let him go it alone, no matter what the extent of it was.

Which meant he didn't exactly have an easy time of it either. A lot of the students that had previously seen him as a hero felt betrayed that he was now trying to help their tormentor, and they expressed this in the usual loud and immature ways. A couple of his good friends stopped speaking to him entirely, and even those that didn't were constantly questioning him and sounding more than a bit put out that he was spending so much time with Gavin. It was never as rough as Gavin had it, but there were some painful moments for sure.

And then there were some warnings from Gavin towards the end of their first month. His father was starting to really pick up on the changes, and to say he disapproved was an understatement. When he heard this, Cale knew he couldn't put it off any longer, he had to confront the man and lay out the truth for him. It wasn't something he was looking forward to, but he'd spent the better part of the month thinking of how he was going to approach it, practicing what he wanted to say and how to say it, and he had the key points laid out and practiced down to rote memory. It would never go perfectly but if he got all of those off he had a shot.

It was a horrible thing to say, but recent events had made the timing even better. He'd hate himself for thinking that after the fact, but for now, he was going to use it.

The meeting was on a weekend of rather foul weather, wind and rain whipping down as he entered Gavin's house once again. This time he'd told his parents where he was and when he expected to be back, and hoped that they'd get scared if he wasn't back on time...he didn't know how this was going to go and wanted to prepare for the worst. Just contemplating what 'the worst' could entail was frightening...it was tough maintaining the façade of stoicism, there was no telling when the terror would break out, but he knew if he showed fear he'd be preyed upon, figuratively if not literally. Everything depended on his courage...and it was a very good thing that he'd been building some of that lately.

When he knocked on the door, Maria answered it once again. The look in her eyes when Cale spoke the words was one he never wanted to see again: "I want to talk to Argent."

She looked for all the world like she wanted to tell him no, to leave and not take the chance...but she didn't, perhaps something in his voice convinced her that he needed to do this. She still didn't know the whole story, didn't know what he'd done, but she surely knew something about him was having an effect on Gavin, one that she'd been wanting to see. Maybe she already suspected that this was part of what was necessary to turn things around...whatever the case, she allowed him inside, let him enter the living room and wait for Argent to walk in. Every spare second he had was spent steeling himself...and he didn't know if it would ever be enough.

Argent was standing there. He was waiting. It was like he'd known that Cale was coming, and by the look in his eye, boy, he was ready to lay down his law. That alone was terrifying enough, and Cale was understandably hesitant to get any closer than he had to.

"So you're the little shit that's been corrupting my son. You don't want to know all the things I want to do to you for that."

Cale swallowed, engaging in eye contact with him and trying not to waver. "I can probably guess, sir."

"Oh, you think you can guess? You don't have a fraction of a clue how deep my well goes, you only wish you knew how horrible I could make it. I could think of dozens of acts that your mind couldn't even begin to imagine."

"I've got a pretty vicious imagination myself, I think I could probably come close." It wasn't what he'd practiced and it winning him any points, but he needed to keep up, to show that he wasn't going to be pushed around. There was no question, Argent was a bully, probably one of the worst there ever had been, and he likely partly made his living off of it. Cale didn't expect or intend to change that...all he needed to do was get him off of Gavin's back and not put himself in the way of recovery.

Argent took a stop towards him, trying to put his size directly in play. "I wonder if you can give me one good reason why I shouldn't just show you personally."

"Well, for one, my parents know where I am and when I should be back. If I'm not, they'll be calling the police...and the media. That probably won't look so good for you." The last part was a bluff, the police were the only ones planned, but at the last second he figured it would have more impact to add in the threat of public attention.

Whether or not Argent believed it, it seemed to work, at least as far as quelling the immediate threat of violence. "You little shit...I thought my boy'd put you in your place. Looks like someone else needs to do that."

"I don't think that would gain you any respect, sir."

"I don't give a shit about that. I know what you're doing, you're turning my son into some pansy fruitcake who can't stand up and be a man for himself. You're taking away the one thing he actually had that could get him ahead in life."

"What I'm doing...is trying to help him."

"Don't give me that shit!" Argent's face contorted in anger as he took another step towards Cale, an unquestionable power play.

But Cale powered through. Bluster aside, he didn't think Argent was actually going to hit him unless he pushed the shark into an outright rage...and that wasn't likely to happen until the bomb dropped. "I'm trying to save him from himself. I'm trying to get him to have a better life in school, to lose the awful reputation he has and get other people to see him as a decent person, so that he might actually have friends and not feel so alone. I'm trying to make it so he can be happy."

"You're fucking him up is what you're doing! And I won't stand for it! I am NOT going to let my son become weak like this!"

"You don't like that he's actually happy? That he's possibly making friends and not earning himself the worst reputation this side of the Nazis? I would think a businessman such as yourself, sir, would know the importance of a good reputation-"

"You think this is a reputation? You know who has a reputation? ME! I'm the biggest, baddest, most powerful man most people know, and you know how I got there? By giving shit out and refusing to take it from anyone! I didn't get it by making friends and doing artsy shit like a little faggot! I got it by ensuring that everyone KNEW I was the baddest guy around and making sure they all feared and respected me! And Gavin was doing just fine with that until you came along!"

"No, he really wasn't. He hated himself, hated what he was doing. But he did it anyway, because you wanted him to. And he was doing just as you wanted. Giving shit out, taking it from no one. He pushed people around, made them fear and hate him. Not respect him...hate him."

"Ignorant little shit. There's no difference between fear and respect. If you don't think they're the same thing, then you've clearly never been feared."

Cale almost smiled; he'd wanted to bring up the idea but Argent had ended up laying it up just right for him. "And if you think being feared and respected are the same thing, then you've definitely never been respected." Argent's eyes went wide, and his features contorted further, but he'd been thrown off just enough for Cale to keep going; he had momentum now, and it was feeding his nerve. "And Gavin was never respected. Feared, yeah. Everyone was scared of him because they didn't know if they'd be his next target, and if they were, he was merciless. I was one of those targets, over and over."

"That sounds like my boy. Before he did a fucking crash and burn and started locking himself in his room."

"Yeah, I know why that happened."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. See, I showed him up in class, and he got pissed off about that. I guess he was worried that I was giving him shit. So he decided to teach me a lesson after school, followed me into the woods and started beating on me."

"And it sounds like you deserved every bit of it."

"Of course you'd think so. And since he was giving me what I deserved, I decided to do the same to him. So I picked up a shovel and beat his brains in."

The look on the face of the older shark was one Cale wished he could get a camera for. The anger evaporated in a moment, replaced by utter shock and disbelief, mixed with incomprehension - it was as if he couldn't imagine the possibility of someone attacking his son...or perhaps attacking him. "Y-you...you did...what?"

"I hit him in the head with a shovel, knocking him to the ground. And then with the broken handle, I hit him over and over again, barely stopping myself from actually finishing the task. And then I told him he should go kill himself. And I left him there, not actually knowing if he was going to survive. I wish I could say it was in cold blood, but I think the concussion he gave me just messed with my judgment."

Argent was visibly reeling, but already Cale could sense a storm brewing. Not that that was unexpected...in fact, it was a good sign. But he'd still have to defuse it. "You...you're telling me...that you were this close to killing my son?"

"No...YOU were that close."

"Me?! You're...you're blaming me for this?!"

"Yes, I'm blaming you for this. Because if you hadn't spent years trying to force him to become just like you, trying to make him bully and attack other kids, trying to make him act like a complete asshole in every way, it never would have come to that. The only reason the situation ever happened was because of your demands of him. You can try to blame me all you want, sir, but what you do think happens when you push someone too far? Any animal defends itself when cornered, they show no mercy because it's life and death. We may be people, but we're no different...you push one of us too hard, and we snap. And we lose control. No jury in the world would have convicted me if I killed him. The bruises alone would show self-defense, but add in what everyone else would have said about how he acted, and they would've known it was only a matter of time before someone did it."

He paused a moment, assessing Argent's response. He wasn't saying anything, but Cale could see the reality of it was sinking in. Really, there wasn't much to argue - he couldn't argue with the history, and he had to know what happened when someone was pushed too far. The elder shark was vulnerable...now Cale was going to go in for the kill.

"You and your son are both fortunate that I was able to get a hold of myself enough to back off. But he was ready to end his own life after that. He saw what he'd become and he hated it. And you know who came and talked him down from the brink? Me. Not you, his father, who should have noticed it much earlier. It had to be his own attacker. You nearly lost him twice over. Maybe you're lucky. But I wonder how much you've pushed that luck. How many employees have left your office pissed off, terrified, desperate? How many lives have you wrecked with your 'take no shit' policy? How many times do you think you can get away with it before someone pulls an Advent on you?"

Cale knew the moment he said that word that he had struck the shark deep. It had only been a week since seventeen people had been gunned down at Advent Systems, killed by an employee who'd apparently been repeatedly harassed and then fired the day before the shooting. Everyone was talking about it, and it would resonate for a businessman who was known for pushing people around. Argent had to be putting everything together, waking up to the fact of what he was really putting on the line.

"You want to know who shoots up schools more than anyone? Bullying victims. I know people who've mentioned their thoughts about revenge before. You don't want to know what they're thinking...if you think you've got a depraved mind, it's NOTHING next to someone who's been pushed almost to the breaking point. But Gavin's been one of the targets they've talked about. There are students who have seriously considered a course of action that will end with them in jail forever or dead just to be rid of him. Is that the kind of thing you really want for him? Do you really think his life will be better by inspiring that kind of hate? Even Gavin knows it won't be. That's why he stopped behaving that way when I gave him the chance of a way out. And if you really love him and care about him, you won't knowingly put him in that kind of danger. Think about that the next time you go up to berate him for going soft. And remember, there's only so much shit someone can take before they force it back on you."

Cale didn't wait around for a response from Argent; quite the contrary, he thought it quite wise to leave before the shark could recover from the shocks he'd delivered. The longer he lingered, the more likely Argent might focus on anger towards him rather than other thoughts, and that wouldn't be good for anyone. Still, his hurried departure didn't feel like cowardice to him; on the contrary, he felt a real rush from having gotten through what he'd wanted to get through. He'd been so scared, but he'd managed to keep calm and not let it overcome him. Whatever the outcome would be, that was something for him to be proud of in himself...and it bolstered his nerve to keep helping Gavin, no matter what the consequences would be for him. He could handle some fallout, the kids weren't nearly as scary to him.

---

As the weeks went on, Gavin slowly continued to try to redeem himself with Cale's help. It was a long, arduous journey with a lot of struggles, making life for the shark at times a torrent of misery. There were times when he wondered why he kept on with it, but the thought of going back to what he was before made him feel ill. So he kept on with it, trudging through and trying to guard himself against the shots thrown his way.

It did slowly get easier and better, though. After a uniformly terrible first month, the tides started to shift...slowly, but noticeably. Talk about his change had started to circulate, and a couple of the people he'd apologized to earlier made some tentative overtures towards him, as if starting to believe he was sincere. To say they were friendly was vastly overstating it...but they weren't hostile anymore, and that was progress. And a couple of the people he was trying to make amends to responded more favorably due to the word spreading around, expressing the desire to forgive and move beyond the past. There were still more than a few hostile responses, but it seemed that it was going better now.

Cale was finding things getting better for him as well. The harsh response to his helping Gavin had receded, and he was slowly finding prestigious status coming back to him - he hadn't just beaten Gavin, he'd turned him around and made him quit bullying. It earned him a few new friends, as well as the return of the ones that had stopped talking to him, now apologizing for their behavior. Even William, who Cale had admitted to himself deserved to be angry, was talking with him again, opening up to him about the things he'd revealed in his outburst. Such rewards felt validating, like he was really making a difference, and that was spurring him to invest more in Gavin - he wanted the shark to feel this kind of joy and happiness as well.

Another thing that was helping was the support from Gavin's parents. Cale's lecture had put the fear of god in Argent, having effects beyond his expectations; he, too, was noticeably changing. It started with him cooling off, being less hostile towards Gavin and Maria both, doing things to control his temper and become less bossy. He was considerably more civil towards Cale as well, not treating him like garbage like he had before...in fact it was almost flipped, some of his air seemed to consider himself beneath Cale, even though that was far from the lizard's intent. It was a good while before he found out why that was.

The breakthrough came a few months later. Gavin came over to Cale's house one rainy Saturday for a study session, looking almost in a daze. Cale picked up on it pretty quickly - he'd gotten really good at reading the shark's emotions after this much time around him. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah...well, yes and no, not wrong in the bad sense, just wrong in the...well, the 'the whole world's kind of flipped around' way."

"Huh?"

"Dad...he came into my room last night...looked like he might be about to bite his tongue off at first, but then he asked if he could see some of my art. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to show it to him, because...well, you know, I was scared, what he would say about it, he's never really liked that kinda stuff. And there was some personal kinda vent-type stuff that I wasn't comfortable with him seeing at all...but I showed him a couple of things that were a little less like that, I guess you'd call them safe pieces..."

"What did he say?"

Gavin swallowed and shook his head. "He said...he said they were really good. And like, it wasn't just...saying it. He really meant it. It was like...he sounded like he really regretted that he hadn't actually seen it before. And...and then we started talking...really talking, he was asking me a bunch of questions about art, why I did it, and how I felt about it...and then we got around to his business, and he wanted to know if I really wanted to be doing what he did when I got older. For the first time, I felt like I could actually be honest with him...that I didn't really know what I wanted yet, like, I can't say I wouldn't ever want to do that, but I don't really know. And he didn't get angry or anything...he told me that he wanted me to figure things out, and that he'd try to help however he could. It was...it was just so weird...but you know, in a really good way."

"Wow...that's really amazing..." It was just as surprising to Cale, he didn't really expect that much of a difference from Argent. But it was also incredibly heartwarming to hear, Gavin needed more than just his support and having help from his family was of incalculable value.

"He's just...really changed. He even..." Gavin coughed a bit. "I don't know if I should be saying this, but...he and Mom, they...they, uh, you know...they had sex..." He was turning a bit red as he said it. "K-kinda...heard it a bit...but, um, anyway...it was the first time they'd...um, done anything like that, in, well. years...Mom sometimes told me in private that she was afraid to let her touch him at all some days, and they usually slept separately...but it's been different, he hasn't had a tantrum at her in a long time, hasn't yelled at her, he's been a lot less demanding and more trying to help...I realized just the other day what looked different about her...she doesn't look scared anymore."

"Wow...I'm really glad to hear that, Gavin. It really scared me the way she looked before...I'm glad your dad's coming around to being better, too."

"It's all because of you, Cale. I...I never really thought anything like this could happen, I thought the only way I'd ever get out of this thing alive was by being the guy Dad wanted me to be and trying to just endure it...I was so scared for so long that he'd snap on me or Mom, and that he'd do something...I don't know, I don't even want to think about it. But now...I mean, Dad's lightened up, he doesn't feel...dangerous anymore." Gavin suddenly grabbed Cale and wrapped his arms around him, a tighter embrace than the lizard was ready for. "You...you saved us, Cale...and after all the shit I put you through..."

"Hey, hey...it's fine...I'm glad I was able to help out..."

"I didn't deserve that much...I thought I was gonna end up dead in a ditch or something after pissing off the wrong person...or shot a bunch of times by a kid I pushed to the breaking point...I didn't think anyone would ever care about me. I...I don't even know why you bothered..."

"I wanted to...when I knew who you really were, I knew you deserved better, and you wanted to be better...I couldn't have just left you to rot like that. Not after what I did..."

Gavin pulled back a bit, and Cale was a bit shocked to see tears in his eyes. "God, Cale, you're...you're the best person I've ever met. I regret everything I ever did, but especially to you...you're like an angel, saving me and my family...no one's ever been so kind to me."

Cale felt himself blushing a bit. "Ah...there'll be lots more now that you're getting to be known as a better guy. The real you will have a lot of friends..."

"Yeah, but...you're more that a friend. You mean a lot more to me..." Gavin swallowed. "I...I think I...you, uh...you know that I'm...gay, right? That...that's on my Silvalune profile, I figured..."

"Yeah, I know that...wait, you're...are you saying you, uh, have...feelings for me?"

"Y-yeah...I, uh, I don't mean to...make you uncomfortable, I don't know if you're...um, yeah. I just...I had to tell you that, even if you don't feel the same way...it's just how much it means to me, that you came and helped me like that, you did so much for me...I just...I can't help but see you like that."

"Oh, wow...I never knew, Gavin." Cale swallowed. "I...don't have a lot of experience, I've never dated or anything...but I'm gay, too, I know that at least. I...I'm not really totally sure how I feel, if it's the same way. But...I think...you know, I'd like to try it, at least. Maybe I do, or I will, or something...so, um...h-how about a, uh, you know...a date, or something?"

It was worth the discomfort and uncertainty to see the wondrous gleam in the shark's eyes. "You...you mean it? Y-yeah, absolutely! I'd...I'd love to! I, er, sorry, I'm gonna be so awkward, I've never been on a date...well, I could hardly be, the way I acted...it's gonna be a lot of new stuff for me, but I...I really want to have a chance to date you."

Cale felt a bit of a smile form on his face. "Well, I'm gonna be awkward, too, so I guess we can be awkward together."

---

The dates got less awkward over time.

There were still some who couldn't believe that Cale and Gavin had gotten together. Not after what had transpired between them...whether they'd forgiven Gavin or not, it was tough for them to imagine the guy who'd left him for dead in the middle of the woods turning around and being romantic with him. And if they hadn't forgiven Gavin...well, Cale did his best not to bother with them. It wasn't worth a fight.

But what was clear was that they fit pretty well together. Over the months, they seemed to gain a keen insight into each other's thoughts, frequently operating on the same wavelength, one that few others were privy to. The amount of efforts they had put into each other had molded them well together. And it had a beneficial effect all over - Gavin was further humanized, both of them were happier, and slowly there were fewer and fewer who bore any grudge towards the two of them.

By the end of the school year, Gavin was known for something very different from the beginning. Some of the banners celebrating the occasion had been drawn by him, and they had wowed pretty much anyone who saw them. His artistic talent had already gotten more recognized but that was what had put things over the edge, and the amount of praise was almost more than he could handle. What a change from when everyone had feared him and he had hated himself...

But that wasn't the thing that he had been looking forward to that day. It was later, with his date with Cale...when he wanted to take the next step.

Although there was a school event going on that evening, neither of them had any intention of staying long. Ducking out early, the two of them met in the parking lot, and grabbed a cab out to the north side of town, where a nice view overlooking the lights of downtown greeted them. It was a great place they'd been to once already, but that was during the day...in the soft light of the night, it was even more marvelous.

The shark's heart was pounding hard as he held Cale close. This wasn't something he really knew how to bring up, he wasn't even sure if Cale would agree...but, if he did want it...maybe he was overthinking things, he'd shown the lizard a few of his racier drawings, things he hadn't dared to post online, that he'd figured he would never, ever share in his life...Cale had seemed to appreciate them in more than just the aesthetic sense. Still, it was one thing to look, another to do...

"Gavin? You okay?"

Gavin swallowed a bit and nodded. "Yeah...I'm fine. You?"

"Yeah, I'm good. What's up? You seem a bit nervous..."

"I...well, I...wanted to ask you something." His hand roamed over to Cale's chest, rubbing against him slightly. "I...we've been going out for a while now, and...I wanted to know if...you wanted to...um...try...y'know...having sex."

He winced a bit at Cale let out a laugh. "That's what's got you so worried? What, did you think I was gonna say no?"

"Er...maybe?"

"I almost asked a long time ago. I just...wasn't sure if that was the pace you wanted to go at, so I figured I'd wait for you. When you showed me those your drawings, I thought that was your way of telling me you were thinking that...was kind of surprised it took you that long to ask."

"Oh...uh, sorry, I just...I wasn't sure..."

"Well, neither of us were, but now that we know..." Gavin eeped a bit as the lizard's hand snuck under his shirt, fingers tracing along his muscular chest and abdomen. "Let's not keep each other waiting any longer, right?"

"Oh...yeah..." Gavin felt a grin creeping back onto his face as he pulled his shirt up and off of him, giving Cale free access to his front side. His touch was surprisingly sensual, he seemed to be very deliberate about the way he rubbed against Gavin... "Man, that feels really good...can I return the favor?"

"I'd love it." Cale drew his hand back and pulled off his own shirt, and his bare chest was almost immediately set upon by Gavin's hands. He wasn't nearly as big as the shark, and didn't have the muscle that Gavin naturally bore; he'd started working out a little bit more with some help from his boyfriend but not nearly enough to put on much mass. That didn't stop Gavin from trying to feel him up the same way, though he was a bit more awkward and uncertain, and his hands ended up being a bit rougher on Cale...something that the lizard found surprisingly pleasant in his own right.

Gavin was the first to take it further...although still hesitant, he finally worked his way down to Cale's pants, undoing the button and working his fingers down to rub against the lizard's slit. Flushing a bit, Cale went in himself, copying the actions as the pleasure drew his breath more firmly. Reaching in, he could already feel the shark's twins emerging from their shared space, swelling up rapidly against his touch. It was helping get his own pair up and out into the open, straining against his underwear while ensconced in the shark's grip. Their sides were starting to rub and lean against each other as they got slowly bolder, lust overcoming uncertainty as it often did.

After a couple minutes of playing with each other, they drew away to take the next step. Each of them slid their pants and underwear down their legs, getting them out of the way and freeing themselves up for further action. It was their first time seeing each other fully naked, and their eyes were drawn to each other, examining their bodies in full. It was no secret that Gavin was the larger of the two, several inches taller and much broader, but Cale couldn't get over how muscular he was...good genes were certainly part of it, Argent was pretty damn big as well, but Gavin also put work into it, he kept himself active and healthy and worked out quite regularly. Consequently, he had both good bulk and tone, balanced all over his body. And he was hung, too, each spire nice and large, slick and tapered, about as desirable as anything ever had been to Cale.

The lizard wasn't anything close to him in most dimensions. He wasn't short, but he wasn't large...he was pretty average in size and frame, not muscled at all, though Gavin was sure it could happen if he got into a workout schedule. He looked a lot more like the artist than Gavin did...in truth, the shark wouldn't have minded swapping bodies, maybe if he'd been smaller to start with his father wouldn't have put the pressure on him to throw his weight around. And he really appreciated Cale for his size, it was probably better than if he was just as big. He was pretty decent where it counted, though, his hemipenes were smaller than Gavin's but by no means small. "I really...like how you look, Cale."

"You, too," Cale replied, a bit breathlessly. "Should we...um...what should we do?"

"Well...uh...do you...know what kind of stuff we can do?"

"Y-yeah, I know about the...uh, things we can do. You're not gonna surprise me with any of it..."

"Okay. Well, I...wanted to...uh, try a blowjob. I thought maybe we could do that...together, you know?"

"Oh, you mean like 69?"

"Yeah, that thing. Uh, I guess I should be the one on my back..." Slowly Gavin descended to the ground, laying back and spreading his legs a bit, his twin spires arisen in the air ready for Cale. Steeling himself, giddy with anticipation, the lizard stepped over, lining his lower body up with Gavin's head while his own head lowered down to the teasing shafts. He knew what to do, he just didn't really know how to do it well...but hopefully he'd figure it out.

There was a moment of hesitation, neither one sure how they should start...finally Cale just decided to go for broke and opened up, his tongue licking at the tip of one of the shark's poles. He heard a sharp inhale from Gavin, a slight gasp at the sensation, but it sounded like a good thing...little tentative licks slowly become bolder as he got used to the taste, a slightly fishy tone mixed with something more musky and thick. Gavin was joining in pretty quickly, getting his own tongue onto one of Cale's rods, licking and rubbing at him; his taste was lighter, less musky, but with an odd flavor that he kind of liked.

Neither of them was going to pass for a pro any time soon, but the mutual pleasure they were getting was beyond enough for their inexperience. Licking slowly graduated to sucking, experimentally trying to find what worked best. The sharp tingles of pleasure that came from each new trial had them both shivering and eager to continually return the favor...one rod became the primary target for each of their mouths, while the other was attended to with a free hand, slowly rubbed and stroked to add to the euphoria. The more they each got into it, the more energetic they became, and the more able their movements.

It wasn't going to be long, they were both new to this level of sexual intensity, far greater than their hands, and all too quickly they were feeling the pressure in their loins, ready for the finale. Gavin pulled away briefly, gasping out a bit. "D'you...d'you want to...finish like this?"

It was almost torment for Cale to retreat, but a response was necessary...he pulled off just long enough to affirm. "Yeah...I wanna...taste your load...you wanna?"

"Y-yeah...okay, let's do it." They instantly went back to work, each one giving the other more licking and sucking, trying to get reach the intended prize. And it didn't take long...within a minute, both of them were at their limits, and both of them let out muffled moans as they began spurting forth into each other. It was a messy affair, they didn't really have the ability to warn each other so the first shots caught them both by surprise...streams of white dribbled from each of their mouths as they tried to keep up with their respective offerings, sucking and swallowing as much as they could. The thick loads were a bit tough on both of them, not quite as pleasant to deal with as their cocks had been, but they didn't back off, taking in as much as they could before they each tapered off.

Cale pulled his muzzle away from the shark's shaft and rolled onto his back, panting hard; it was easily the best sexual pleasure he'd ever had, way better than his hand, and it had left him a bit more drained than he expected. "Wow...that was incredible...I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did, Gavin."

Gavin nodded, also somewhat breathless. The sides of his mouth were streaked with white, as was his groin; his cocks were both dripping with cum that Cale hadn't gotten to. "Yeah, that was...that was really good. Though, your, uh...your semen was weird...not the taste, just the way it felt..."

"Yeah, I felt the same way. I think maybe you gotta get used to it."

"Yeah, probably." Gavin pushed himself to a sitting position; he was still hard, and still feeling ready for more, despite being a bit worn out from the first. "Do you...wanna try something else?"

"Yeah, I do. I...wanna try taking you, Gavin. I want to feel you inside me..."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. You okay with that?"

"Yeah, I am, if you are. I...uh, shit...I meant to bring lube...I think I forgot it."

"Ngh...let's just try it anyway." Cale knew that probably wasn't the best idea but he wanted it too much to let the opportunity pass by. "Maybe getting your cock all wet will help."

Gavin looked at him uncertainly. "Well, if you're okay with that, but...you let me know if it's too much."

"Yeah, sure." With that assurance, Cale laid back and spread his legs, showing off his tailhole to the shark, the tip of his tail flicking around in anticipation. "You're gonna...use both of them, right?"

"Huh? Uh, I guess...you sure you wouldn't rather just have one?"

"Nuh-uh...if you've got 'em, use 'em, right?"

Gavin didn't respond; it seemed like it might be a lot, but he didn't want to disappoint his lover. He brought himself over to Cale, bearing down on lizard's rear and bringing the tips of his cocks to the tight hole. Slowly he pulled at it, stretching it open a bit...it was a bit easier than he expected, giving him enough room to smear a bit of the loose cum on his cock around and inside. It was still going to be tight, but he expected even tighter... "Have you...done stuff before?"

"Not with a person...but..." Cale blushed a bit. "I, uh...I've used, uh...produce...before. I know you're not supposed to, but I...I couldn't order something or anything like that..."

Gavin blushed a bit; he'd heard about that before but had never even considered trying it, it just sounded weird to him. But if he'd had something a bit bigger back there, maybe he could handle it all right... "Okay, I'm going in now...stop me if it hurts." Slowly, almost delicately, he pressed inward, spreading Cale's passage with his twins, making sure he didn't overdo it - he'd hurt the lizard enough for a lifetime, no way he was going to do it at a time when he was supposed to bring him pleasure.

Cale huffed and hissed a bit as he felt them go in; Gavin's pair was certainly bigger than any produce he'd ever tried back there. There was a definite ache to it and it was rising as Gavin pushed further in, not helped by the limited lubrication...he was thankful for what little there was, since it made it tolerable if not exactly easy. He was squeezing down every now and then almost on reflex, adding to the pressure in a way that spiked the discomfort...but he held his tongue, not stopping Gavin from anything he was doing.

It started to get easier when Gavin started leaking precum into his rear. He was only about a third of the way in, but the tightening of the lizard's ass around him was making him squirt out pre pretty effectively, the slick fluid helping to ease the burn and strain that Cale was feeling. Though he wasn't speaking, Gavin could tell he wasn't all at ease, and held himself in place for a bit, trying to saturate him with pre before going on. Slowly, the discomfort eased, Cale's expression relaxing and breathing easing slightly...it wasn't feeling great yet, but the bad was receding.

With a nod to Gavin, he encouraged the shark to continue on, and felt the pressure rise again as those spires worked their way further in. His ass was getting stretched more as the lengths filled out at the opening, while the tips pressed deeper and pushed further in that anything had ever touched...but, the shark was running like a faucet, preseed splashing out quite a bit more copiously now, and making the tension manageable. Gavin continued until he was most of the way inside Cale, just a couple inches remaining...in due time, he would try them, but he wanted to make sure that his lover was ready.

Slowly he pulled out, just a little bit, and pushed back inside, getting a gasp and groan from Cale. The motion had netted him contact with that part of his insides that felt REALLY good, one that he'd explored a bit on his own but never felt from the touch of another. And it was even better under these circumstances. Encouraged, Gavin started to slowly work his way in and out at a faster speed, drawing out a little bit more each time. The thrusts felt a ton better than just sitting there, the lizard's walls rubbed against him so tightly, almost trying to cling to him...it was so much better than his hand, even better than Cale's mouth.

There was still a bit of a burn in the lizard's rear, but the pleasure was starting to override it quite effectively. His hands reached up to hold onto Gavin's arms, back arching into the shark's swaying body, his cocks brushing against the rough skin and releasing their own spurts of precum onto their bodies. The spikes of pleasure when his prostate was touched were getting stronger with the increased pace, earning soft cries and moans from him that matched the ones Gavin was starting to let loose. "Ah...Gavin...m-more..."

Hearing this, Gavin felt delight mixed with relief. He'd worried about whether Cale was doing all right with this, even with the sounds coming out of him, but that was all the more he needed. He started thrusting in more rapidly, getting up to a steady, healthy clip, and pushing a little bit deeper each time, working those last couple of inches into Cale's more well-worn tailhole. As he did, he leaned his head down over the reptile's, their mouths meeting and tongues twining in a deep kiss as they worked their copulation to its pinnacle. Soon Gavin was bottoming out into Cale, and it was divinity for both of them, the pleasure now all that was salient and all that they could have asked for. Grasping, clinging to each other, rubbing sweat and pre into each other's bodies, they were lost to the rest of the world, lost in each other.

It was too good to last too much longer; still inexperienced, still too quick to burst from these brand new sensations, without the practice or patience to hold themselves off. Cale was first, the friction against his cocks and the constant cracks against his prostate were enough to send him over again, ropes of cum shooting up into Gavin's stomach and onto his own body, each pulse a blinding light of pleasure illuminating his body and mind, his fingers clutching Gavin almost too hard as he clamped down on the invading shafts.

Only seconds more passed before Gavin was on his own high. "Cale! I'm..." his voice cut out with a long, moaning cry, and Cale felt a warm, sticky wetness start to rush into him, thicker than the precum, much more noticeable. He welcomed it, invited it, rushed to milk the shark of it, letting it gush into him and fill him up...it was so wonderful, feeling his lover's essence fill him finally, fulfilling fantasies held in private lockdown for so long. He reveled in it, letting it claim him and consume him for the brief period in which their peaks coincided, nothing but the feeling of Gavin on him and in him registering.

It passed, eventually, as it always had to...but it had been there for longer, and more strongly, than it ever had before. When at last the pleasure faded, Cale was left with nothing but a breathless afterglow and a mild soreness in his rear that he knew would keep him walking funny for a while. There was never a question as to whether it was worth it. Above him, Gavin was panting harder even than he was, a lot taken out of him by the sex...Cale beckoned him to roll them over, and he obliged, keeping Cale close to him as the worked their way into a reasonably comfortable position on their sides, holding each other close as they recovered.

"Cale?" The shark's voice was still a bit thin after a few minutes. "I...I love you."

It was the first time he'd said those words...words he never would have expected to hear for the life of him at the start of the school year. But now...after everything they'd been through, all the trials, tribulations, and triumphs, there was no question to him what he felt as well.

"I love you, too, Gavin."

And with that mutual vow warming their hearts so deeply, not even the growing chill of the night air could disrupt their embrace.