The Bodyguard - Chapter 22

[teamzaylor]

Title: THE BODYGUARD
Chapter: 22
Rating: Nc-17
POV: Santiago
Summary: The death of their parents broke Taylor and Zac apart. Each of them went his own way of life, Taylor became a famous superstar and never thought that his profession would bring his life in danger someday. Blade (Zac) buried the past and lived his life contentedly in his dark and dirty world as a pimp. Because of some unexpected circumstances Blade got hired as Taylor's bodyguard and the brothers saw each other for the first time after almost a decade. How will they find a way to each other again after the past had put thick walls between them?

Excerpt: From time to time though, the sixteen year old teenager boy Zachary came to light in him of which he luckily didn't grow out completely. I didn't mind his boyish behaviour, it was good for him that he could preserve that part of his youth which many people lose the older they get.

Authors Notes: Another The Bodyguard Update. Chapter 23 will be updated very soon. Thanks everyone who reads and comments. ♡

PS.: Please use the Chapter Overview or our inserted Links which will forward you to the next Chapter in the right order.

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Santiago:

An unexpected face appeared in my bar this evening. The white boy with the casual clothes, the dark sunglasses and the ponytail looked different than usual. In one glance, I already knew that there was something he hid behind his typical smirk on his face when he walked towards me into my saloon on this grey Thursday. I knew him better than he could pretend to me that he was doing well.



"What the fuck are you doing here, Blade?"

Sure my greeting was gruff to him, but his sudden appearance irritated me. I didn't know Blade as a person who couldn't keep a promise. He would know that I wouldn't welcome him here in that case. Furthermore, we were both used to rough manners. Blade and me never hid behind politeness or manner or anything, we were always real, clear and direct with each other.

"Keep cool, Santa, I'm just taking a break for a few hours."

He assured me shortly and patted my arm when I didn't offer him my hand to shake it.

"And where is your brother?"

"Disappeared like a fart in the wind."

"So your job is over already?" I raised an eyebrow at him while I stubbed my cigarette out in the ashtray on the counter.

"If that would be the case, I wouldn't stand here without party balloons." He exclaimed, scratching his nose.

Apparently, he was still in the mood for his typical jokes which was a good sign at least. Even though he was obviously not comfortable. He seemed tensed. Probably stressed out about his brother. I was already used to Blade's pranks which drove me nuts regularly. So I wasn't surprised that he preferred to joke around instead of giving decent answers. But I wanted to know what happened and his bad ass attitude couldn't stop me.

"So you scared him away already, huh?"

"No, but I'm working on it." he stated with a little smirk.

"Still the same sarcastic bastard." I ascertained beyond doubt and gave him a look of reproach.



"It's the only way you'll know I'm telling the truth." He shrugged casually.

I watched him intently for a moment. Through the years of waiting for a letter or any other sign from his brother, I knew that he swallowed a lot of anger. His brother's sudden appearance must have been confusing the boy. And I could sense that there was something that upset him.

"Come on, let's sit down." I offered him and took my crutches. He agreed and we walked into my back room.

We sat down on my corner bench like usual and the first thing I noticed was the way he tilted his head. I knew that his eyes were automatically wandering down to the drawer under the table where some of my cocaine lay in a supply. So, that was it. He missed it. And it irritated the living shit out of me.

"Don't even fucking think about it Blade!"

"Huh?" He looked up at me as if he didn't know what I meant.

"Wanna drink something?" Of course my question was a purposeful distraction from his thoughts. It wasn't difficult to guess what my younger companion was longing for. Not even his sunglasses could hide that. I wanted a change for Blade, and as early as this moment, I'd have to make things clear. I didn't want to get him any ideas. Usually I knew that I could count on my friend but he was not the only drug addict I knew. They could become unpredictable if their urge was getting too strong...

"I sent Nathaniel out today to get some Mountain Dew for you, even though you don't deserve it." I said.

"Yeah fine." was all he sighed. He sounded frustrated. Even his favorite soda didn't cheer him up which confirmed me that my first impression was right.

I shouted for Nathaniel to bring him his drink, then I turned my attention back to him.

"Now tell me what the fuck is going on with your brother, but be serious!" I commanded, reached out my arm and took his sunglasses down from his eyes which was pissing me off already.

He sighed again, then he finally began to tell me in very few sentences about the events of the day.
Both of us silenced for a while when he ended.

I pulled my cigarettes out of my trouser pocket and lit myself one of them up before I began with my advice of the day.



"Do you wanna know what I think?" I began.

"If it's not another smart ass preach," he retorted asap and slurped loudly and crudely at his soda mug.



That made me grin to myself a little. Blade always showed a tough and smart man in front of everyone and in a way he reminded me of myself how I've been before my accident. It was good for him that he learned to be warily, not only for our common time in the army, but also for that way of life he led.

From time to time though, the sixteen year old teenager boy Zachary came to light in him of which he luckily didn't grow out completely. I didn't mind his boyish behaviour, it was good for him that he could preserve this part of his youth which most people lose the older they get. It's traits like these which help people not to embitter.

We experienced things in the Army which weren't even describable and I always hoped for him that he would never lose that special trait of his personality. As much as he could drive me up the walls, he could always entertain me.

And that's why I never really could get mad with Peter Pan here in front of me.

Of course I was clever enough to hide my grin, if I wanted him to listen to me, I'd have to show him that I wasn't too amused of his actions. Blade could beat the hell out of me if he wanted to, although I could still give him a fair fight despite my fucking crutches. I'm by far not that helpless like I may look like.

I was thinking ahead of myself though, there was a task at hand that had to be done. So I proceeded on giving him my thoughts, he would get to know my opinion anyway, no matter if he wanted to hear it or not.

"I know that you're still hurt that he just left you, Blade. You fucking cannot deny that. If you scare your brother away, someday it will be too late for a reconciliation for both of you forever. And you ain't better than him if you treat him like a piece of shit. I hope you will fucking realize that before it's too late."

He sighed and silenced for a moment after that.

Of course I already knew about the anger, sadness and loneliness which Blade experienced at a young age. I sensed that there was more between them on which they had to work on to rectify their situation if he would let it happen at all. Fact was that, his brother needed him. And I didn't want him to scare away his only living family and make everything worse.

"Oh I'm very well aware of the damn double moral. But you know what? I think I can live with that. I don't always have to be the exception while it's okay for him to chicken out every fucking time. It's too late for me and him anyway, Santa. I've waited long enough for him. Meanwhile I'm finally done waiting. We're nothing more than strangers. The brothers which we've been long ago don't exist anymore. Probably he thinks that I crawled somewhere out of a gutter anyway. His fucking gay glitter world is no place for me! And it's better that way for both of us. I'm finished with my old life! Except you and the little yapper buddy, there's no one in this fucking world who deserves my trust. No one! Besides to that, I never claimed to be someone better than him, but apparently he does."

Blade's answer didn't surprise me. The past years had taken their price of him and turned him into the person he was today. Last year's incident between me and him added to that, coz I knew that it depressed him. The issue was very sensitive for both of us, that's why we never talked about it anymore. Even though I never blamed Blade for what happened, I knew that something in him broke and since then, he didn't let himself feel anything anymore. Our common years in the Army were hard for both of us and my accident and mental breakdown last year broke everything down. It changed me and him. When I didn't have another choice than to leave the Army, Blade left as well and followed me like he always did. But no matter how much he was like a son for me, I couldn't replace a father for him.

He became a drug addict shortly after that. Apparently he thought drugs would help him to forget everything...

The saloon is the only thing which was left from my own family, so I tried to keep it and continue its proceedings. But these times weren't the best for business, so there was no other option for me than to sell some drugs besides leading this bar. One day I caught Blade sniffing some coke and it turned out very soon that it was too late to stop him...

He rubbed his eyes and yawned. He looked tired already even though he was used to work until the late night hours in his brothel. Blade had never been a big talker when it comes to talking about his feelings.

"What is the fore name of your brother?"

"Jordan Taylor."

"Oh are these are both girl and boy names?"

"Yeah it really fits him, Taylor has always been a femmy boy and a little princess like."

"Girlie types attracts many women and men."

"That may be. The blushy princess needs a bodyguard in many regards. But that princess protection program doesn't make any sense anyway. He's much too conceited, spoiled and arrogant to accept a bodyguard brother at his side. He just wants to keep me until he thinks he has done enough and can get rid of me again just like the coward pussy he has always been."

He said and merely shrugged, then put two straws into his crooked nostrils and drank the rest the rest of his Mountain Dew noisily through his nose.

I slammed my palm on the table, "I want you to take this job serious Blade! What if it will be different this time? Don't be so negative." He managed it once again. My warning to him a few minutes prior to stay serious seemed to be forgotten already.

"Mmmmh, so hot headed are you today?" He teased smirking, looking at me with those two red straws stuck in his nose. For some people it would have looked ridiculous, but to me it was a priceless view. Without this Clown my days wouldn't be as half as funny, that's why I appreciated his entertainment.

Nevertheless, that he did not seem to take our conversation serious drove me regularly up the walls. I glared at him and contemplated for a moment if I should pistol-whip him with one of my guns before I continued.

Have I mentioned earlier I could never get mad with him? Better forget what I've said!

"Keep cool. I'm not negative. I'm a realist."

"Anyway, then why didn't Taylor send you little bastard away already if he doesn't want you to be with him, huh?!?"

"What the fuck ever... probably because he knows that I will have another reason to hate him if he'll give up on me again. But it's only a question of time until he will change his mind."

"Well, you're both old enough to clarify that shit between you. Fact is that, I want you to continue doing this job and take good care of Taylor!"

I didn't know his brother and if he would change his mind. As far as I am concerned I wouldn't and Blade knew that. I wanted a change for the circumstances of Blade's life. I knew that he had to get out of this life earlier or later if he didn't want to end up embittered like me.

He laid his elbows on the table and pulled the straws out of his nose followed by a heavy sigh.

"I promised you that I won't break my promise."

"Good. Coz I count on your loyalty soldier." I said and grabbed his shoulder for a moment.

"By the way, you look like shit."

"Save your flatteries Red. I feel like shit."

"Tired?"

"You got that right."

"How many time do you have left until you have to go?"

He pulled his phone out of his jacked and glanced down on it.

"Approximately three hours. I have to be back at midnight. Do you mind if I lay myself down here and sleep for a while before I have to drive back?"

"No I don't, you know my home is your home. I have to take care about my costumers now anyway. I'll wake you up later."

He nodded, pulled the scrunchy out of his hair and laid himself down on the corner bench immediately. Even though it wasn't really comfortable to sleep in a position like that it didn't take more than a minute until a snore came from his direction.



Blade and me had already slept at the most dirtiest places in the past years. The army taught us to sleep anywhere at any time and with a loaded weapon, so we weren't demanding about accommodations...

I stubbed my cigarette out in the ashtray, stood up and shut the yellow curtains before I went back to the front area.

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