Page 23 of Caged
"I'm not even sure it works anymore after the cage." Danny shrugged. Then as if he didn't want to talk about cocks anymore, he asked, "so what did you do after fourteen?"
"At sixteen it was all about driving. I would beg my aunt to let me take her car. I loved driving. I went down to get my license the morning of my sixteenth birthday. I finally got my own car at seventeen. It was a beat-up old truck, but it was mine. I loved it. Then at eighteen I was focused on graduation and looking into colleges. Of course, through all that, sex was still one of the most important parts of my life too. Teenage years were a horrible jumble of sexual desire and insecurity. The only time I was comfortable with myself was when I was on a computer. There I knew I had control. It's still kinda like that now. It goes back to how I was telling you none of us are grown-up, we just fake it. We do what we are comfortable with and hope for the best with the rest of the stuff. My aunt died soon after that, then I had issues at college with some bullies and dropped out."
"You had issues with bullies? You seem so strong."
"Anyone can have issues with bullies. Doesn't matter your size or your age. People can be mean."
"What did you do?"
"What I shouldn't have done. I quit school and hid in my apartment. I got lucky and someone contacted me online about working for them and I got a good job, but honestly, dropping out like that could have fucked up my future. I should have stayed and gotten help with the issue because I'm sure the bullies just found someone else to pick on. I should have said something to someone and tried to stop them."
"What do you think people will say about me?"
How did he answer that? "I'm guessing it will be a little of everything. Most people will have sympathy for you. Feel bad about what happened, but there are some out there who will make you feel dirty and as if it was your fault. You need to be ready for those idiots and stand up to them. I never want you to think this is your fault."
"But I went with him. I went to play with the puppy."
"I'm thinking most kids that age would. It was why Larry used that ploy. He knew it was illegal, yet he did it anyway. Larry is the one who did wrong. He's the one who should be looked at as the guilty one. Not you. I looked online earlier and they've already started making up stories. We're just going to ignore it and forget the lies because we know the truth. You couldn't have changed what happened. None of it was your fault." He couldn't say that enough, though he wasn't sure Danny believed it.
"I just want to be normal." Danny stared across the kitchen.
"You are normal. You'll feel more normal every day now. You just have to learn how to get to know who you are now that you're free. Figure out who Danny is when he's not held back by Larry, the locks, and the abuse."
"It seems so hard."
"It might be, but you'll get there." Marshall drained the pasta. "Do you want to eat or should I set this aside for now and we can go shopping?"
"Are you hungry?"
"I'm good either way."
"Then let's go shop. I'm not used to this much food. I might have to take it slower. McDonald's almost made me sick."
"Yeah, not only is it hard on your stomach, but you're not used to a lot of food. We'll have to be careful. I'm sure your body is going to have to adapt to a lot of things now. Sleeping on a real bed seems to be a plus," he teased.
"It was like floating on a cloud," Danny confirmed with a huge grin.
"Go get your shoes on and I'll grab mine. We can head out and shop for a bit, then come back here and eat." He touched Danny on the shoulder gently. "You're doing good."
"Thanks, but I don't feel like it." He sighed as he walked off.
Concerned everything was going to crash down around Danny, Marshall swore he would keep a close eye on him. One hour at a time right now because it was clear one day might be too much. He would take it in steps and hopefully, get Danny back on his feet and ready to face the world.
CHAPTER TEN
Danny leaned against the couch with his feet under the coffee table as he learned how to use the controller to the video game. Games had sure changed since he'd last played. Larry had a gaming system in the basement when he had been locked down there and he'd played non-stop. There had only been a few games, but he'd loved all of them. It had been his only distraction to the pain.
Now, with Marshall on the couch beside him, they both tried to figure out what they were doing. The game didn't seem hard, but they were on a quest to find treasure and neither one of them was able to figure out where the hell it was hidden.
Danny laughed as Marshall cursed. "It has to be close."
"We should have gotten a Disney game or something. Those I can figure out." Marshall sighed.
Danny didn't care if they found the treasure. This was the most fun he'd had in years. He'd never been allowed to play the video games once the boys came, and now, with Marshall, he was enjoying having someone to have fun with. He could forget for a short time and just focus on the game.
The sound of the doorbell had Marshall dropping his controller. "Saved by the bell." He jumped up.
Danny paused, his body tense as he wondered who was at the door. Had someone found him? Was it Larry? Maybe the media? He watched as Marshall looked out the peephole and smiled.
