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guys who were always getting picked on, as far
back as middle school. They were really why
Mama Jimenez and I started the school s chapter
of the Gay-Straight Alliance. But what we didn t
know was that even before we started that, they
were kinda watching out for each other.
~ 82 ~
By Any Other Name Cherie Noel
Devon turned a bit more, resting the back
of one shoulder against the passenger side door.
Go on. What did they do?
Michael chuckled, lifting one hand from
the steering wheel to push his bangs back from his
forehead. He d bet good money that it was killing
the sergeant to keep from suggesting he get a real
haircut and stop sporting the Justin Bieber hair-do
he presently wore. Laughter threaded through his
words as he spoke.
They had this whole code worked out for
what they called Glitter Alerts
A bright yellow sports car pulled out of
nowhere to cut them off. Michael broke off to
curse at the stupid shits. Maneuvering the Jeep
quickly around the offending vehicle, he continued
his story about Adrien and his glittery friends.
Yeah, so anyway, they had a code for
freaking damn near every single thing you could
think of, all broken down in to colors and levels of
glitter. Most of the average idiots at our school
never figured out what the Twinks were up to.
~ 83 ~
By Any Other Name Cherie Noel
They just went on thinking they were all especially
gay little gay-boys, and writing them off. But,
Adrien and his Twinks protected more
marginalized high school kids than ever knew
about it, and all without ever breaking one of their
pretty little nails. Well, except for Adrien, of
course. He was always klutzy.
Devon settled properly back into his seat,
adjusting the safety belt over his chest as he did so.
He turned his head, watching the passing scenery
or at least doing a good impression of doing so.
After a few moments had passed, he turned his
head back toward Michael.
Glitter Alerts?
Michael snorted at his incredulous tone.
Yeah, Sarge. Color, level I guess they re kind of
like Threat-Con levels for the military, but way
more complex. They worked out a way to get
appropriate help for every bullying situation they d
ever faced or heard about someone else getting
caught up in. Adrien and Sam would have
marathon like planning sessions where they
~ 84 ~
By Any Other Name Cherie Noel
strategized about how to help the kids who didn t
know how to ask for help.
Devon blinked, smiled, shook his head and
then frowned. Damn. That s damn. Just damn.
No wonder he was so pissed.
Michael nodded. Yup. You fucked up big
time, Sarge. If I d known you were gonna go all
Man-Of-The-House on him I d have warned you. I
just figured you were smarter than that.
Devon cut his eyes over to catch Rose
smirking at him. Fuck you, cabron. Fuck. You.
One day someone s gonna get your balls in a twist
and you ll be just as stupid as the rest of us.
This time, when Michael laughed, even to
his own ears the sound was a little thinner than
before. Devon gazed at him intently, the look
burning into the side of his face. Michael kept his
eyes firmly fixed on the road in front of him, and
his face perfectly neutral.
There was no reason to believe Sergeant
Devon Soto had twigged to the fact that Michael
had already met up with his very own ball twister.
~ 85 ~
By Any Other Name Cherie Noel
Slating a sly glance to the side, Michael found
himself surprised all over again by the raw, love-
struck expression on Devon s strong features.
Clinging to the faint up turn of the former hard-
assed soldier s lips and the crinkled corners of his
nearly black eyes, a look of pure reverence plainly
spoke of the contents of Devon s thoughts.
Without him uttering a single sound, Michael
knew who he was thinking of. Over the little while
the two had known one another, Michael had
grown used to seeing his former NCO s face
assume that expression when his thoughts drifted
to anything even remotely related to Adrien.
~ 86 ~
Chapter Six
Back when they were ass deep in sand and
insurgents, Michael had assumed Devon s reaction
to his stories, and that one picture of Adrien was
only the man s longing for the simple innocence,
which shone from the clumsy little twink captured
in the photo. Michael shook his head. He loved
Adrien as dearly as he did his own baby brother.
Adrien s heart somehow managed to hang on year
after year despite the difficulties he d lived
through. Now, Michael realized Devon had been
falling for Adrien even back then. Christ, he could
have saved them all a lot of heart-ache if he d just
taken Devon to meet Adrien at that crap college
he d gone away to rather than going home and
introducing the guy to Andy.
After over two years you would think he d
have gotten over the hot rush of anger that their
~ 87 ~
By Any Other Name Cherie Noel
hooking up had caused him, but that just wasn t
true. Michael still had to keep a tight rein on
himself whenever he thought about the one time
Devon and Andy got together. Recovering from
the blow caused by his new best friend treating the
man Michael had been in love with since his
senior year in high school was well, it was a
work in progress. Thinking about it still made him
want to kick Devon s ass. Andy became distant
emotionally after Devon dumped him, and even
though Andy had slept with him twice, Michael
still didn t feel confident their relationship was
headed in the direction he wanted. That the first
time started out as a method to comfort Andy
didn t change how much it meant to Michael, but
he was pretty sure Andy didn t see things the same
way. Also, the way things had ended earlier sucked.
Michael shook off the introspective turn of
his thoughts eventually, but not before Devon
noticed his silence. When Rose made the turn onto
the highway leading towards the mall, Devon
called him on his infatuation in a dry tone of voice.
~ 88 ~
By Any Other Name Cherie Noel
Going to check on Andy?
Michael shifted in the driver s seat, his
shoulders tensing. There was no way he was going
to tell Devon any of the things going through his
head right now. Andy was safely at home, but
Devon wouldn t know that.
Yeah, I am. There were some guys
hassling him last week, and now, with Adrien fired,
he ll be short an elf. Which means he s gonna have
to do double duty tonight, working as an elf while
he s the manager on duty. If those rude fuckers
show up, I don t want him to have to face them
down in those damn elf-a-go-go shorts he picked
out for all the elves.
Devon cracked up. I thought Adrien was
the only one who called them elf-a-go-go shorts?
Michael forced a chuckle and lowered his
shoulders a fraction. Nah, most of us have heard
him muttering that phrase enough that we all call
them that when he s not around. We just like to let
him think he s the only one who thinks the shorts
are& well, pretty much every young gay boy s
~ 89 ~
By Any Other Name Cherie Noel
fantasy of what he d find at the North Pole.
Devon snorted. You guys talked about this
when you were younger, didn t you?
Michael shot the clearly love-struck idiot
an incredulous look. Of course we did. The elves
costumes before Andy took over were truly
hideous, and we saw them every single year. We
couldn t help but talk about them.
Pulling up next to a random, beat-up old
Chevy Nova, which closely resembled Andy s,
Michael put the Jeep into park and left the engine
running. Well, I m gonna work on his car for a bit
while he s inside and can t stop me. It s been
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