The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, of continents or islands, in countries, counties, cities, towns, villages, neighborhoods, streets, cul-de-sacs, nor governmental or non-governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then why are you here? Seriously, if guy-to-guy sex stuff makes you barf or is going to screw up your mind, you should not read this story. Additionally, if you are under 18 years of age in any state (21yo in Alabama, Mississippi, Wyoming, Nebraska), or in most countries, you are not allowed to read this story, by law. Check with your local laws regarding such.
Following, pages of this story contain adult material', intended for an adult audience'. Bypass this warning at your own risk.
% Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection.
^o^ Concluding remarks ~ reading this story could make you stiff or gooey, so I would suggest not reading it at work... just sayin'! :)
%
Giv2GeT 07
WriTten by T. Chase McPhee
^o^
%
That evening, Ed sensed a climactic change, someone taking the initiative to build a campfire sole purpose of a friendly get together.
Joseph had walked the beat all day, missing lunch to wade his sore feet in the cold brook which ran through the property. When his afternoon shift was completed, he took advantage of the brook once more, stripping completely and lying down in its waters. He loved the way it trickled past his balls, water-falling over his cock. In no time, his hand was helping out and soon he polluted the brook!
At this moment, after retreating to his cabin, finding a whiff of campfire in his nostrils, he threw on a pair of jogging shorts and followed his nose, taking a bottle of Jack Daniels with him.
Those whom had began to form a ratpack, LL, Gabe, Jose, Tom, even Declan and Zack, had congregated, forming a circle around the embedded stones.
"Hey, anyone up for a sip of booze?" Joseph introduces himself to the glowing night.
"Wow!" is all Jose could register, seeing the 41-year old appear, looking like his guns were ready to fire and knock them all dead!
Not only the worked up arms, the whole facade of a slight swimmers build, rounded pecs, outlined by a fuzzy grazing of hair, which, when his eyes dropped to his stomach, the trail got thin, then thick again, fanning out over Joseph's stomach, concluding with a thickly-thin shag of happy trail. It was true, Jose thought, the happiness a trail could bring to someone!
Nodding, Joseph acknowledged `the look' from Jose, saying, "What's up?" he accommodates himself, sitting down on the horizontal tree trunk, sharing it with Jose.
Declan, a totally different person than earlier, even earlier than before he was held captive, earlier then that, like early as last summer when he was known as a `meanie', introduces, "Hey guys, this big hunk of hamburger is Joseph!"
"Thanks for the big introduction, little weenie!"
Zack leans his lips to Declan's ear, "He talking about the same Declan?"
"He looks tough. He has to act tough!"
Tom gets up to shake hands, as some of the others, not taking too kindly of Joseph, doing what they did in France, kissing both cheeks, but lingering a little too long at the left side of Jose's neck, the part of Jose's neck he couldn't see!
When they both sit, Tom asks Jose, "What sweet little nothings was he whispering in your ear?"
"Jealous?" Jose asks Tom.
"Of course I am!" Tom smiles.
"Okay. If you must know, he was asking me about the dude standing next to me."
Tom had to think on it. On Jose's other side was... he racked his brain... "Gabe?"
Jose responds, "Nothing against Gabe, he's a hot man, but no, it was you."
"Right. So, what marvelous things was he saying about my hot bod?" Tom persists.
"Nothing. All Joseph wanted to know is, if we're dating or committed or anything like that!"
"And of course, you told him..."
"I told him, if he gets more closer than he is now, you'll punch his lights out!"
"Thanks for helping me make friends, Jose!" Tom replies.
"I'm sure he's okay with you."
"Yeah, so okay, he passed me up to shake Zack's hand," Tom says, all pouty.
As he did, Joseph's hand, bottle of JD attached is asking, "Want a swig?"
He'd rather have licked right up those packed pecs, slurp up the sweat on those trimmed follicles of hair skateboard down the smooth abs and... "Yeah, thanks. Don't mind if I do!"
Taking a hefty swig, Tom starts coughing his lungs out.
"Need mouth to mouth?" Joseph joked.
Getting on the adamant foot, Jose butts in, "I can handle it, thanks."
Joseph just smiled, backing off, taking a hit, trying to pass off the bottle to others.
"He really keeps himself rugged, doesn't he?" Gabe converses with LL.
"No more than yourself," LL runs a finger along one of the indentations of Gabe's abs.
A warm evening, they all had shone up shirtless, divided between long and short pants. Regardless, their slick upper bods reflected the shimmering light of the orange and yellow fire. None could be more bolder than Joseph, wide shouldered, solid pecs, two perky nips, washboard abs with a small indentation and as Zack had wished for, it was apparently Joseph kept the chest fur tight to his smooth skin, a swath from navel to belt, was another draw in for those seeking eye candy.
Going on Gabe's description, LL, whom sat next to Joseph, a few feet separating them, "Tell me, Joseph, have you ever done a Warrior's run?"
"No, but for me, it would be a waste of time!" They were all sure Jack Daniels was bending Joseph's opinion of himself, "Why, I could run circles around anyone in this camp!"
He would seal his own fate.
Next morning, in Ed's office, summoned there, Joseph was informed he had been relieved of his security duties, as had the rest, the company which had gone on strike, settling.
Trying to argue the point, things being as they were last summer, "You mean I actually have to work?"
"Work, Joseph? Would climbing trees be work for you?"
Joseph replies, "Whatchu talkin' about Willis?"
"Willis?" Ed questions.
"I take it you don't watch reruns?"
Ed stood there, look of `what's going on?' on his face.
"Never mind," Joseph finally gives, "what's this about climbing trees?"
He knew this was a different angle, one which Joseph might not be too enthused by, "You work out all year round, Joseph. Why not think of helping Eddie, being by his side, as he follows through with LL and the bunch, with Warrior training?"
"Hmm," Joseph thought on it. He very well knew he would have to go about his business this summer with a different twist. After all, as Ed had spelled out, from Eddie's file, in his estimation it was not Eddie's fault he turned out the way he did. He knows the psychology of being the victim of a bully. The act of standing up for himself was not an act of a troubled youth, but rather, `just a guy standing up for himself.'
Taking too long to decide, Ed says, "Besides, I'm not giving you a choice."
After Jose pops into his head, Joseph replies, "fine." He had seen the Latino's bod last night, loved the whole muscle-man physique, concentration mid-pecs, which he loved in a man, to nestle his nose in all that chest fur, before making love to the rest of his bod.
"Glad you agree."
"Like you say, Ed, have I got a choice?"
"Do we have to make it come to a choice, Joseph?"
"I still get to look after Eddie, don't I?" Joseph checks.
"By all means. Why do you think I would deprive you of such pleasure, Joseph?"
"No reason. You know I'm always up for a challenge?"
"Good," Ed gets up from his desk, hugging one of Joseph's biceps, "so go out there and give those Warriors hell!"
One day away from the campers setting foot on Rufghup soil, when Joseph woke up this morning, after sitting around the campfire last night, he credits the bottle of Jack Daniels to seeing what real fun he could have this summer. Getting in a rut, after 4 summers put in at camp, Joseph was feeling the need of a change up of the programming. Seeing the camaraderie, raging fire and attitudes of those enjoying it, reduced to glowing embers, guys paired out into couples; LL and Gabe, Tom and Jose, Zack and Declan, whereas he hasn't a clue to how the two came together, but Joseph was sure-shot knowing if they could make it through the summer, Declan would have a man to settle down with.
It got him to thinking, so much, coupled with the liquor, when Joseph returned to his cabin, he sulked over the fact everyone at the campfire had a match, except himself.
Entering his cabin door last night, since he was already shirtless, he went all the way and before crashing into his cot, picked up Eddie Raleigh's folder.
He was all sweaty, but didn't care at the time, the effects of the JD causing him to dream, side with the fact Eddie's picture showed him at the gym, apparently having finished, or in the middle of a strenuous workout. So taken in by, what he presumed Eddie had done, like he does, trim the chest and abs fibers, Joseph licked the picture, right up those chiseled abs, under Eddie's `chin' and then kissed him.
It wasn't until Joseph finished off his `foreplay', he sensed a tangy taste in his mouth. "Ick!" he opinions, "I hope you don't taste as awful as that, Eddie!"
Laughing last night, as Joseph woke up to not only being ripe, but very ripe pubes, not remembering that he stroked himself off, jealousy set in. It followed him all the way to the shower and while soaping the scum off his bod, Joseph had it on his mind, if Tom, Declan and the others could be happily matched up, then he could too.
It is why, departing Ed's office, Joseph left him with, "I thought maybe I'd change it up a little. You know, this Warrior business might be just what I need?"
"Really Joseph? What about the whips and chains you so adore using on a camper?" Ed asks.
"I'm not getting any younger. In the day I could be quite the hot, dominant top, but I think there's more to life than trying to intimidate a guy?"
"Softening up, are we, Joseph?" Ed says.
"No," Joseph finds room for kidding around, "last night I was soft... then hard... I dunno when I became soft, but it was kind of pasty down there?"
"Well, for the longest time your hot bod has been keeping me hard!"
"Funny you should mention that Ed, because for a while now I've been thinking something about you," Joseph tried stirring up the conversation, a goal in mind.
"Oh? And how would that go, Joseph?" Ed leans on the edge of his desk, so old it creaks, which makes him stand on his feet.
"When are they going to get rid of that creaky thing and give you a real desk?"
Disappointed over the `interrogation', Ed says, "That's what you've been thinking about me?"
"Nah. What I was thinking," Joseph wasn't a person inclined to hold back, "is that you seem to have this hard dictatorial exterior, but deep down inside... I don't know how to say this, but I this strong feeling you have a desire to be `owned'?"
"You think so, Joseph?" Ed acts otherwise.
"Then again," Ed not confessing, Joseph says, "I have the right to be wrong?!" he smiles.
Walking around his creaky desk, Ed says, "Well, you know, Joseph, I always was under the impression a man should have words to back up his assumptions?"
Was Joseph really reading Ed wrong, or right on target? He wasn't leaving much to go on, but being there was always a desire to look up to some men, down on the others, he turns it into humor, "If you kindly would bend over, Ed, I'll give you some back up!"
Ed could only smile, shake his head, watching Joseph laugh and laugh and laugh. He had to come down sometime which, Joseph's carrying on with the chuckling, bought time to think, Ed saying, "Let's put a mutual date on our calendars, Joseph. After 4 years of employment together, maybe we can sort out how well we can really work together?"
"How about tonight?"
"Nah," Ed walks back around his desk, "I want it to be near the end of the summer, have a long, lasting memory of this summer, before I retire. However, how about now and then you give me something to look forward to, Joseph?"
He wasn't sure where Ed was coming or going with this, but had an inkling, "To be truthful, every time I've spotted you without a shirt, I've wanted to punch that stomach?"
It was test, Ed very well knowing it and although he hasn't taken a punch in the stomach since a camper went berserk, his first year of being on the job, he says, "Yeah, I might drop by your cabin later for a couple!"
Even though said so surely, Joseph amends, "I was only joking, Ed!"
"I'm not."
"You're not? You're for real?" Joseph questions Ed's motives.
"Nope, because you see Joseph, you've found me out!"
Joseph figured, leaving Ed's office, the only reason he was leveling with him now, is because he was retiring. At 36-years old, he still considered Ed a spring chicken! There was an angle to this, Joseph mystified over it, yet since he has never let his guard down, stooped to his knees for any man and walked around with `attitude', he had it in the bag, thoughts on why Ed would be stopping by later. The only question which remained, is what toys to have polished up, ready and waiting!
%
One day before the campers descended on Camp Rufghup, the finishing touches were being made. However, the little details had grown into big ones, Ed having his hands full with briefing the reconstituted security officers, from the outsourcing company.
In a way, Ed was relieved it was not the same bunch as last summer and the summer before. Instead of a squad of 10 guys, all in their thirties and older, a few `youngsters' had infiltrated the ranks.
Little did Ed know, back at the security company, the older' guards had a problem with why' so many young ones.
Not having a choice other than hack it, or take a hike, they were also perturbed by the fact their employer was on the brink of retirement, leaving the company in the hands of his younger sons. Among them, they preferred the older, Chas, but had to face a trial period, become the guinea pigs, the father monitoring the younger son's ability to keep things up and running.
One of the seasoned professionals, Dirk Bryson, was kind of bent out of shape, over the family-owned business appointing one of their own kin, Birch Gibs, security manager over himself, having worked in the family business for over 10 years. Though, he wasn't too disappointed, not after having met what he knew, a younger member of the clan, a drop-dead gorgeous 26-year old, which in his book, this man was more than hot! For Dirk, it helped in making the transition easier.
Then again, for Alex Cobb, another longstanding member of security, he was all for young guys being hired. Probably, since Alex was in really good shape for a 36-year old, considered by his friends, a workout muscle bear', welcoming the competition', Alex only saw it as a way to keep himself feeling young and looking it.
Sharing the same thoughts, Chach San Pedro, 31-years old, thought of it as only crossing the border to mid life, these young guys coming in, he didn't share the same sentiments of Alex, "You're only as old as you look and feel, amigos," said for Dirk's benefit, the three in conversation while picketing.
Yet, the other two stood by Dirk's side, standing out there on the sidewalk for three days, holding up signs which simply read, `unfair'.
It was really a silly reason, but the three, each knowing the other was gay, should be welcoming some new, hot men to the longstanding security firm, but it's how age, makes a guy wonder and worry.
Additionally, Chach says, "You think I'm going to let some young dude come in here and get ahead of me? No. Just one of them try and I squash them like cockroach!"
Thinking on it, Alex didn't say it, but in no time, he would be down on his knees, squashing some young cock between his lips!
Regarding Dirk's taste, squashing his cock in the folds of some young dude's ass, he was more inclined about Chach's thinking, putting some young guy in his place, showing him the ropes on how things went at the security firm.
After 3 days of the short-lived strike, Birch saw maybe they could be right, his older brother, Chas, who was never at the company office, doing all his business through texting or phoning in, computer, hired only by reading resumes and looking at pictures. Birch, youngest member of the Gibs family, did the leg work of having to schedule interviews, meeting with prospective employees and without a bonafide human resources manager, he wound up with the paperwork on his own desk.
It was a trial of sorts, brother pitted against brother, fairplay as their father saw it, which brother to name as his success, upon his own retirement.
Up against fierce competition, Birch fresh out of the service, his brother, Chas, having been working under his father, he could see where his father would side more with Chas, seeing it only fair for him to prove himself. Another aspect, unrelated to the business, he was sure his father would be fuming if he ever found out about his preferences when it came to his own sexuality.
When their father came out to the company, to do the final interviews, he was confused, looking upon the line of new hirees, recommended to him by Chas, calling over, "Birch, wanna come here a minute?"
"Sure, sir. What's up?" Birch always called his father by the formal, respected name, which the father preferred, since his whole personality reflected it.
For his first assignment, the father had awarded him the Camp Rufghup account, asking, "Nothing seems to match up here, with what you propose," the 10 men standing at attention, "and the paperwork your brother sent me?"
It had been a plot, not really malicious, since it wasn't in Birch's heart to do that sort of thing, yet he knew if he didn't resort to drastic measures, not only would he lose his bid at impressing his father, which meant nailing the prestigious position, but coasting along on the coattails of his brother for `the rest of his life'.
"Right. I'm sorry that I didn't agree with Chas on the men he wanted to hire for Camp Rufghup, but I think these 10 mean are more suited for the positions," the 26-year old worded and waited.
"Hmm," his father mulled it over, going through each of the ten pages in the folder earmarked by Chas, looking upon the pictures of 10 applicants, all between the ages of 45 and 52. Having a problem with it, his father asks in a blaming tone, "Why on earth would you hire such young men, when you know Camp Rufghup's campers are about the same ages? Don't you think older men would have more of an authority over young, troubled boys?"
It irked him a little, belittling those in front of them, which did include 3 already seasoned, and older employees at Gib Security, Dirk, Chach and Alex, Birch giving his own interpretation, "They are not boys, sir. These are men who are having trouble behaving like men."
"Oh?" his father turns to him, astounded by the fact his younger son could have something relevant to say.
"For instance," Birch calls Gerald Bronte over.
Gerald immediately sticks his hand out, and addressing Birch's father in the same manner, "Nice to meet you, sir."
"Yes," his father returns the limp handshake, skipping over his own son, even though Birch was on trial here for the position of candidate for human resources manager, "tell me about yourself."
He started with stats, Gerald telling he is 25-years old, was born in California, raised in Malibu, attended UCLA, with a major in psychology, worked with troubled youths in Los Angeles and was looking for a summer job which would involve youth who came to Camp Rufghup.
As Gerald and his father conversed, Birch could only think about Gerald's assets, the kind which are not written down on paper or included in resumes. A year apart in age and before Gerald was even hired, before the first round of interviews, Birch was just hoping, by Gerald's resume, he had all the qualities of a `Gib' man.
When Gerald went back to stand in line, Birch was proud of not only himself, but the candidate he picked out, his father thinking him a good man.
"Thank you, sir," Birch said, introducing the next person in the picture of the file his father held.
This went on until all 10 candidates were presented. The only future Gibs man he had a problem with was Conan Quinn-Kelly. Apparently, the way Conan's shirt pulled at his gut gave Gibs reason to ask, "What happens if one of those boys..."
"Young men," Birch says.
"If one of those young men takes off into the woods?"
Conan hadn't a clue what was behind the question, that the boss had meant his chubby gut, saying, "Run after him, I suppose?"
Thinking he had built up the question to turn himself into a sap, Gib changes the subject, rather than dwell on belittling himself any further, "Are you sure about these candidates, Birch?"
"Totally."
"You're brother might not like the idea..."
"Frankly, sir, I don't really care what Chas thinks."
It wasn't the first time the father had seen animosity between sons, whether the older or the younger. Rather getting into anything personal right now, he welcomes the newcomers to the company, "You do know you're shipping out to Camp Rufghup later this afternoon?"
Towards Birch, there was a wave of staring, Conan saying, "Tonight? I thought it was tomorrow morning?"
Birch was about to say something, this news to himself, but his father jumps in with an authoritarian attitude, directed to the chub, "You got a problem with that? Because if you do, I have another 10 files to choose another man from?"
Not, since this was Conan's first job since he went on unemployment from his last job, "None, sir."
There was one more thing, which Birch was glad of, his father not bothering to ask, from where he found 10 good men. If his father knew he had consulted with the Rainbow Agency', it would have been shit's creek for himself. In a way, Birch was glad he did his own hiring. If it appeared on any man's application, anything gay', they would have instantly been shot down by his father.
Outside the room, which doubled as a board room, Birch's father made a quick getaway, himself taking the brunt force of having only the afternoon and not a full day to pack.
Before anyone could address the issue, Birch had one of his own, "I want to thank everyone for not bringing up anything `gay'?"
They knew where Birch was coming from and where they were going to, that if anything about the Rainbow Agency, or pertaining to being gay, were mentioned, they could have kissed their summer jobs goodbye.
One of the guys, Trai Lockerby, a 24-year old, `beautiful' Polynesian dude, says, "You know, there is the option, we could have your old man up on charges for not hiring us, because we are gay?"
Older, by 4 years, Sebastian Rodgers walks over to him, irons out he collar of his polo shirt, "You know, before you win the case, if you do, which would take probably anywhere from 2-8 years or more, you don't have to pay an attorney. However, if you should happen to lose the case, you're life would be consumed with paying them back, until you're old and gray?" he ends with brushing Trai's shoulder off.
For all the right reasons, Trai was allowing Sebastian to touch him at all, smooth not only his collar, but the wrinkles ironed out, right down to his waistline, because he was crazy about auburn haired men and from the `V' of the Gib security shirt, which Sebastian had snuck away to clothe his bod, loved the fuzzy hair which filled the triangular structure of the fabric, not to mention the dimple in his left cheek, which only show when he smiled or smirked, "Uh yeah," Trai's opinion melted, "sure, now that you put it that way, Sebastian."
Wayne Wells, another ginger-variation and youngest of the brood, 24, says, "Why don't you guys stop prolonging it and get it on? We've got the whole afternoon, you know?"
5'10", athletic, but still a bulge around the middle, above the crotch, Sebastian tells him, "Camp should do you good, Wayne... Waste away some of that extra waistline you're carrying around," he pats Wayne in the stomach with the back of his hand.
Taking it in good stride, Wayne makes like it's not all right, "Everyone saw that, sexual harassment, on Sebastian's part?"
It was like all the ginger guys standing together, Clyde Merritt saying, "Hey, Sebastian can pat me down as much as he wants!"
Suddenly they were all against Wayne, which made him give up on his sexual harassment conquest!
Birch had gone and come back, "Here is your itinerary," he passes out folders at random, "which will give you a run down of Camp Rufghup, a mission statement," which only painted a partial picture of how things went in the past, "and some important phone numbers, which I suggest you program into your cellphones."
News to Birch, as of yesterday, receiving a call from the director, regarding a new program this year at Camp Rufghup, he pans the crowd of men, "By the way, have any of you had experience with a Warrior event?"
Most of the guys looked like they could be candidates themselves, but Birch was overwhelmed, "Wow! All of you, except," he was sketchy on some names, still needing the files, getting Rob and Gerald mixed up....
"Rob," Rob Romolo guessed it was him, the only one not holding a hand up.
"Well, don't worry, Rob," he uses the 26-year old to further, "I'm sure you won't have a problem keeping up with the others."
Conan, even with a shirt on, his belly sagging over his belt buckle, obliterating it, "Wait. Aren't we supposed to be there to patrol the perimeter of the camp?"
It was something Birch was holding back on. After talking with Ed Farley, he had a strong impression, whatever the director had communicated, as far as wishes and wants, what he said, went, unless Birch was up for losing this account. It would have proved disastrous as far as his future with Gib's Security, if the account should drop out from under his feet, so went with the flow, hoping he wouldn't get any flack from his gay brothers, "Um, I did forget to mention, yesterday, when I was talking with the director, he thought it might develop some rapport with the campers, if you guys participated in the Warrior event training and still kept a lookout?"
All eyes were on him, but this time, Trai allowed the idea to sink in with the others, let someone speak up for all of them, but no one was opposed.
In fact, Conan, who could get winded running to the mess hall from 12 feet away, says, "Yeah... get down and get all muddy with you guys!" he stare at Gerald Bronte.
In Conan's opinion, Gerald was the hottest man there. He had caught Gerald stretching before the meeting before old man Gib got started. Lifting those arms, placing them behind his shoulders, the shirt did show something of a muscular masterpiece, but he wondered how much was air. A stylish haircut, kind of spiky on top, it fit perfect with Gerald's closely cropped beard. Just beautiful eyes... Conan was in love, knowing, probably to make it with a guy like Gerald was a no-win situation. Though, feeling up his own jelly-belly, a `Warrior summer' might be just what he needed to catch his mate!
%
At lunch, there were four tables in the spacious mess hall, one occupied by LL, Gabe, Jose, Tom, Zack, Declan and Joseph. With no one to relate to, Avery put it upon himself to join the round table, "Mind if I sit in?"
Of course they didn't mind, not one bit, Avery only drop-dead gorgeous, for starters!
Doing more than eating, LL had taken it upon himself to head up an informal committee, to cover Tom's ass and devise a plan, which would concern every man at the table, working out a Warrior event scenario.
Joseph was happy to learn, all the stations along the way of the training, it would be put upon the `campers', to construct a course of rigorous exercise, "Oh, does this mean we'll be standing over them with our whips?"
LL answers him, "What happened to that charm around the campfire last night, Joseph?"
True, last night Joseph exhibited a softened, friendly approach towards showing he was not some stuckup, mean, terrifying oger, who ruled with a whip in his hand and at night chained up his victim, for fear he would run away, "I was only kidding," Joseph tried warding off the horrible portrayal, adding little tee-hee's!
Contrary to what he was thinking, Joseph the epitome of a horrible whip-wielding individual, Gabe says, "How could anyone think of Joseph as anything but a... nice, warm, fuzzy teddybear?"
LL replies, "You just saved your ass from a whippin', Gabe!"
Smiling, deep down inside, Gabe had a yearning for the tables to be turned, ruling over Joseph, maybe having him doing pushups, 25, 50, or 100 of them, standing on his back, a switch lingering over his ass... then again, those days, when Gabe played around with more than whips, cuffs and fun stuff to do with a man's balls, he put Joseph in the back of his mind.
Jose, who had been playing footsie, with his hand, under the table, daring to see how far he could move his hand over Tom's thigh, towards the inner seam of his pants, without the others knowing what was going on, suddenly interjects, "What about your limo driver, Zack?"
"That's right!" LL says.
"I forgot all about Vlad," Zack says, whipping out his phone.
As he's dialing, Tom says, "Boy, if you can get him to help us out, it will really save my ass!"
Patting Tom's thigh, Jose says, "You leave your ass to me!"
It wasn't meant to be a joke, except between the two, but the others hearing it, their table stood out against the quiet, mundane existence of the mess hall!
In no time, things quieted down, with Zack talking on his cell. However, in a minute, he had to get up and walk to a more personal space, taking his call out onto the porch.
"I hope he's not having a problem with the old man," Declan speaks up, first time since they've sat down.
Joseph, in the same league as far as position at Camp Rufghup, says, "Looks like Zack has rehabilitated you somewhat, from last summer, Declan?"
The others might not have the insight Joseph has, but Declan treats it calmly, "Yeah," but steers the conversation far away from last summer's camp experience, "I'm looking forward to doing some Warrior training. You know, one with nature and all that stuff?"
Seeing Declan was playing it cool, Joseph did the same, "Yeah. Me too."
Locking eyes, it wasn't too plain for the others not to see, yet no one provoked either into leveling with them.
"Good news and I don't know if this is bad news..." Zack was stuffing his pocket with his cell.
"Can we have the good news first?" LL asks, thinking it was about Vlad.
"My father has released Vlad from his servitude, but of even greater concern, it seems, by the end of this week, my brother will be setting foot on the camp," and knowing how this pertains to Declan, Zack slips, "which I don't know how you feel about that, Dec?"
Taking a deep, deep breath, Declan exhales, folding his arms across his middle, bowing his chin into his chest, like he wanted to roll up into a tumbleweed and blow away.
`Father' of the table, which on all accounts should have been LL, Joseph explains in a simple and concise manner, "You see, Declan had a run in with Zack's brother last summer. It didn't end too swift for either one."
They seemed to all buy it, except Jose, saying, "Unless it's a secret, it would be nice to know, in case it should come up while he's here?"
Then they all agreed, Joseph once more trying to lead them astray, "This is between Zack's brother and Declan, and I think we should keep it that way."
Jose loosens his hold on Tom's thigh, long enough to reflect on Joseph's words, thinking, how sweet!' Someone else might have thought of Jose's thinking, what's the big deal?', but watching a mighty warrior of a man, show another man kindness, seeing Declan show some calm, in retrospect of the personality flashed, there appeared to be a softness showing through that heavily laden, meanness of a man.
It's the reason Jose agrees, "Joseph's right," moving past this, "what's next on the agenda, L?"
In particular, singling out the voice, his old friend, LL seemed to have a private agenda on his mind. He remembers the first time he met Jose, never forgetting the man on Sy's doorstep and then all the events in between. Mostly, pertaining to right now, if it wasn't for Jose Bodego, LL would not have even thought about entering a Warrior's event, `The Great Divide'.
Particularly, for his own thinking, the titling of the event had dual meaning, but for now, since the papers, with all the schematics in his hand, pertaining to right now, LL went with the `clean' meaning of his thinking, "Ahem," LL cleared his thoughts, as well as his throat, "I usually leave my artist skills to my graphic designer, but these are some ideas I have come up with."
Who else but Jose could immediately get away with making fun of LL, moving the first sketch from corner to corner, fingering the paper, "Does it go like this, or this, L?"
"Shuddup!" LL says to his friend, grabbing the paper, "Don't you know the ground when you see it, Jo?!"
"Oh!" Jose exclaims, ready to pounce on LL's artwork once again, "Is that grass? I thought it was a man's chest!"
Of course, all horny men, not at the moment, but Jose's portrayal of an artist surveying a piece of art renders, his comment becomes the laughing stock of the small gathering.
Wanting like hell to get in on it, stuck in his job of scrubbing a pot, Arch Geller, also appointed Camp Rufghup chef, earning a few more pennies above and beyond his camp counselor position, places a hand on LL's left shoulder, right hand on Jose's right, "I hope all this hullabaloo is over the meal you guys just ate?"
When joined as a team, LL and Jose could pretty much guess what the other was thinking, combining forces to stare up at Arch.
Which made the chef rethink his relaxed gesture, lifting his hands, as if touching 2 hot pots, "Oh, sorry `bout that!"
However, the others weren't paying their undivided attention to what LL and Jose thought, as much as the apron Arch wore. Declan was the only exception to the rest, wondering what was under the food-splattered garment. Of course, Arch, being in the kitchen and instituting a criteria for cleanliness, didn't see fit to strip down completely, only the shirt. His means of trying to keep cool in a hot environment, provoking others to use their imagination.
Moving along, LL says, "Well, I suppose with these schematics I've drawn up, everyone is going to be hungry after a few hours work."
Passing some sketches around, Arch picks one up, "Hmm, looks like a frame with a weaving of nets," the 40-year old replies, picturing in his mind, not an activity which could be men climbing up and over the apparatus, but rather a man tethered to it, enjoying' a nice long, suntanning' session!
Jose thought, anyone could have made the right assumption, asking, "And what do you think it's for?"
Right away, in his mind, Arch was thinking, a man with his back to it, a pole in the balance, his arms attached to it, second thoughts on the rope and wood frame, this would make a fine piece of apparatus for toughening up a man's abs, with fists, but knowing about the Warrior-thing, "Climb over it, I assume?"
"And do you think you can do it?" Jose looks up to Arch.
"Sure. Piece of cake!" Arch says, rubbing his hands together, as if making his 2000th pizza!
"I have just one question to run by you?" Joseph brings up a question, which would balance out the whole idea, "How is all this elaborate setup going to materialize," he waves a hand above their heads, "out of thin air?"
"I had thoughts on that," of course LL would, being the CEO of his own very successful company, not rising to the top in his industry on notions, guesses, nor hunches, "we order all of the supplies we need from Ed and when the campers arrive," LL smiles here, a wider grin than Batman's arch-evil enemy, the Joker', "Why, haven't you ever heard of slave labor'?"
Something struck Joseph, a feeling no less stronger than awesome, thinking on those words.
Not the only one, he and Arch exchange smiles.
Joseph finds a greater, affectionate feeling for LL, "I'd like to help make your ideas come to fruition?"
All along, LL has had this sneaky suspicion, Joseph not falling below a college education, "I know in the Camp Rufghup itinerary it mentions we should refrain about talking up our personal lives, but if you wouldn't mind giving me a hint as to what you do for a living, Joseph?"
"Um," Joseph thought on it, not sure he wanted to give in to pressure, settling for a job he once held in the distant past, "taught social studies to inner city high school students."
First person in his life who ever doubted him, LL speaks up, "Right and what do you do now?"
"What?" he was dumbfounded. "How did you..."
"Maybe you should have taken up some English in college. `taught' is past tense?" LL smartened up with a smile, rather than sneaky and condoning look upon his face.
"I was never that good at English, nor really fooling people. I still work with inner city youth, but not a big, big city and I'm what they call a crisis mediator, working with students who have problems at home, which reflect on their abilities to excel in school. I try to straighten them out, but what I've learned you can only try. Some get it and some continue to fail. You can't save everyone!" Joseph delivered his job source, like it was a politician's speech.
"That's surprising," Jose says to Joseph.
"What is?"
"Asking how all of this is going to come together, when maybe you should have some answers for us?" Jose replies.
"You think so, do you?" Joseph says to Jose, just staring, with an entirely different subject on his mind. His cock was pulsing in his pants, wanting Jose. If it wasn't for all the others being around them, he would have fallen to his knees, unbuckled Jose's pants, parked briefs under balls and went right to work pleasuring the Latino. `Who knows?' it inundated his thoughts, wanting to get together with Jose before camp was over. If there was going to be another summer of Camp Rufghup, he had hoped Jose would be there, but if not, at least he would have some kind of experience with him this summer. By all means, no chance would he go against Tom, if indeed the two had something going. It was just not out of his mind yet, a big man himself, if one was tied down to the other, he wasn't opposed to a three-man relationship!
Next thing they know, in walks Casper and his cameraman, Roahn, Casper asking, "We didn't know what time dinner was. You don't happen to have a crust of bread leftover and a glass of water?"
Declan asks, "Have either of you seen Orrin, by chance?"
Roahn, usually a wisecracker, which would be only known to his friend Casper, replies, "Orrin? Who's Orrin?"
Another one who has met Orrin, backs Roahn up, "Orrin? Is that a woman or a man?" Zack questions them all.
Smirking, Declan asks, "Does `Orrin' really sound like a woman's name?"
"Wait," Zack further carries the deception, "is that a first name or a last name?"
Arch, who still hung around, says, "Don't worry about Orrin. He's probably out with some guy, up in the old shed," he laughs.
"Shed? What shed?" Zack asks. He gets knee-nudged under the table!
Fortunately, that went right over everyone's head. Going on Arch's assumptions, the talk turned back to the round table, Zack telling them, "I was in contact with Vlad, our family limo driver and soon as he packed, he would be on his way out here."
LL says, "If he's an authority on Warrior events, then he'll be key in where the different stations should be placed, about the camp terrain."
"It's a drive to the airport and then an hours' flight," Zack replies, "so I'd say he'll be here in about 2 hours."
Getting out of his seat, LL says, "Who's in, for a trip to the lumberyard?"
Fortunately, the camp had a rugged 4x4 truck, with an extended bed. That, along with the truck Roahn drove up in and Declan's truck, LL had a good idea a major portion of wood and equipment would be going back with them, maybe all of it.
Another part of the equation missing, Ed had taken the evening off to show the new security force around the camp.
Some of the others they talked with, thought the lumber mill had an account or some other means of reimbursement with Camp Rufghup. For now though, Declan, knowing about the barter system, was keeping what he knew quiet!
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Copyright 2013 T. Chase McPhee
`Giv2GeT', and developing segments of this story, may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.