Loving Conor

This is a fictional story, written purely from my desires and fantasies. The story contains graphic scenes of bisexual and homosexual sex, in which the characters do not use condoms. I do not promote or condone unsafe sex, but in my story there are no sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancies. So, by all means, indulge yourself in the safety of your imagination.

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Loving Conor - Chapter 11

Actions speak louder than words... That's what Sam had been trying to tell me. I had stayed awake late, thinking and watching shadows dance across my love's skin in the pale blue moonlight. Conor had been abandoned by his father and his first lover, and now he felt "broken". Sean had returned with an explanation, but the damage had already been done. I couldn't erase his past or his scars, and honestly I didn't want to. Without the past we have no future, and without pain, no reference for pleasure. No, Conor didn't need for me to fix him, he just needed me... for me to be his present and his future, or that was my hope anyway. The plans I made then were drastic, and a gamble. I finally drifted off to sleep, planning my move to Florida.

I felt the empty space next to me and realized Conor wasn't there, then I heard measured breathing and a light thump, and cracked my eyes open. Conor was facing away from me, sitting with his legs outstretched. I started to say something, then he lifted himself off the floor and held his legs in a V position. The move was impressive to be sure, but one thing made it even better... Conor was completely nude. I recognized the next set of moves from watching gymnastics on television, the Thomas Flair. Conor twirled his legs around, lifting each hand off the floor as they passed under each hand in turn. I counted three, four, five revolutions as his legs rose higher and higher, then slowed until he dropped into scissor splits, looking straight at me.

"Good morning, B."

"Morning, Babe. Please don't stop."

Conor smiled and pulled his legs together, lifting himself to a standing position, then continued his routine. Lifting one leg straight up, Conor grabbed the back of his calf and held, then released his leg and let the momentum carry it behind him, his body following in a front flip, then spinning down into the pushup position facing away from me. Conor lifted his body off of the floor and leaned forward, lifting his entire body in a planch, then spread his legs.

"Fuck, babe!"

Conor laughed and rolled out of the move. I continued to watch my love, marveling at the way his muscles responded, the power and grace, and pure sexiness. My mind was in overdrive, thinking of all the possibilities of sex positions, and before I even realized it, I had one hand on my dick, slowly jacking off. Conor noticed... then ended his last routine by going from the V, to a handstand, then dropping down on his back with his legs over his head, and... his dick an inch from his mouth.

I sat up quickly, excited as a schoolboy who just saw his first boob. "Holy fuck, you could..."

"What, suck my own dick?"

"Well... you could."

Conor grinned at me again, then stuck his tongue out and licked the tip of his cock and laughed.

"You don't think it's weird, B?"

"Does my cock look like I think it's weird?"

Conor chuckled, then dropped his legs and slipped his cockhead between his lips. I walked over and knelt beside him, placing a hand on his ass as he grabbed my dick. Conor locked eyes with me, then pushed his entire cock down his throat.

"Fuck, that's hot, babe!"

I licked my finger then found Conor's hole and wiggled the tip in. Conor moaned, then pulled his cock from his lips with a smack.

"You want me to cum like this, B?"

"Fuck yes, babe!"

"Okay... won't take long."

I pressed my finger deeper into Conor's asshole. Conor pushed his hips down and stuck his tongue out as his cock slipped in deep enough for him to lick his own balls, then he moaned around his dick and pumped his hips, drilling further down his throat while he jerked me off. The new experience triggered something primal and raw in me. I pulled my finger from Conor's tight hole and sucked it into my mouth, wet a second finger, then pushed them back into my lover's tight hole. Conor moaned and bucked his hips, his ruby lips tight around his thick cock... pulling all the way out with a pop, then back deep into his throat.

My heart raced and my brain scrambled as my hormones took over completely. Two fingers from my free hand found their way into my mouth, then up my own ass. There was no rhythm in our awkward position, just pure erotic lust as my fingers hit both our prostates. Conor's eyes rolled back, his moans grew louder and desperate... his hand moved faster and faster over my cock... Conor grunted and his abs tightened along with his ass muscle around my fingers, then he opened his mouth wide, moaning "Ah, ah, ah, ahhhhhh!" as shot after shot of creamy sperm slammed onto his tongue. Hot jets of cum spewed from my dick slit... six massive streams flew through the air, hit Conor's cock like precision guided missiles, then slid down his still throbbing dick, mixing in the cum pool. In complete cumlust, I drove my face down and stuck my tongue in my lover's mouth. Conor grabbed my shoulders and rolled me onto my back, letting our cum slide down my tongue and down my throat. We continued our passionate cum kiss as our trembling bodies relaxed and our breathing calmed... then Conor rolled onto his back next to me... and the giggling started.

Conor started laughing first. I wasn't sure what was funny, but when I looked at him, I couldn't help but laugh. I tried to ask... "Wha... what's... so... fu... fun" but couldn't get the words out, which only made us laugh harder. Both of us rolled on the floor holding our stomachs with tears streaming from our eyes. Once we finally calmed down, we made the mistake of looking at each other, starting the whole thing over again. We turned away from each other and managed to calm down again, then Conor snorted... I finally got up and ran for the bathroom, yelling "Ahhh, fuck it hurts!" which only brought on another round.

It took jumping into a cold shower to break the laughing spree. I was finally able to ask the question while I dried my love's back off.

"Okay, what was so damn funny?"

"I don't know... I tend to laugh when I get embarrassed."

"Wait, you were embarrassed? I didn't know that was possible."

"A little... I guess. I just never thought anyone would know that I did that, let alone watch me."

"Screw that, I wish I could do it. I'm sure most guys would if they could."

Conor's weak smile betrayed his feelings. "I guess It does come in handy."

"I don't think it was embarrassment, babe."

"Oh, then what was it?"

"Vulnerability."

When Conor turned to me, I could read the question in his eyes, so I answered.

"You've spent most of your life having to be strong. It's difficult for you to let your guard down."

Conor scrunched his brow. "What does sucking myself have to do with letting my guard down?"

"It's something you've only done when you're alone, and you've been alone for far too long."

The look I received then was totally unexpected... and angry.

"Yeah, well, I don't see that changing anytime soon. Thanks for reminding me!"

Conor pulled away from me and stomped out of the bathroom.

"Wait... I didn't mean... Conor... Babe... I'm sorry!"

I had blown it... big time. Conor had no idea that I was planning the move to Florida, no idea that I was doing it for him, and no idea that he meant everything to me... and I couldn't tell him... I just had to do it, and show him. Our day had started off so well, and my careless words threatened to ruin it. All I could do was try and get things back on track.

After putting my shorts and shirt on, I left the bathroom. Conor was dressed and sitting on his bed, staring at his phone. I wasn't sure what to say, so I simply sat next to him and held his hand.

Conor swallowed, then sighed. "You were right, B. It just stung to hear it. I think you're starting to know me better than I know myself."

"Right or not, I hurt you, and I'm sorry."

"I know, B. I just wish you could stay..." Conor's phone vibrated in his hand.

"I should take this, it's the third time she's called."

I saw the name on Conor's phone and nodded in agreement with him.

"Hello, this is..."

"Clarissa, is everything...?"

"Are you okay, what about the girls, did anyone get hurt?"

"No, stay there, we'll be right over!"

I didn't know what was going on, but Conor was trembling by the time he ended the call.

"What is it, babe?"

"There was a fire at the dance studio. No one was hurt, but Clarissa is really upset. She wants me to take some photos for the insurance company."

I knew there was more to the call than just photos... Clarissa and Conor were friends, and she needed him now.

"Get your stuff. I'll grab the car and meet you out front."

Conor kissed my lips. "Thank you, B."

On our way to the studio, I could tell Conor was nervous.

"Did Clarissa say anything about the damage?"

"No, but I could hear it in her voice... I don't think it's good. That school means so much to so many people, I just hope... Is that it? Oh, no!"

As we stood in front of the dance school, I could read the concern in Conor's face. It was yet another glimpse of the man I had fallen in love with... strong yet vulnerable, charming but humble, caring but cautious, loving but afraid. It was that last part that I needed to break through. Conor had built a wall around his heart, had denied himself of love for fear of being burned again. I could only hope that the sight before me was not a representation of Conor's heart. The building lay in ruin; nothing but char and ashes remained.

Clarissa had fallen into Conor's arms as soon as we arrived, having received the report from the fire chief... it wasn't good news. The cause of the fire had been determined to be old, faulty, wiring which was supposed to have been replaced by the previous owner. The wiring was not to code, which meant the insurance wouldn't cover the damage. The young woman was now sifting through the ashes, looking for anything that may have survived. Clarissa reached down and lifted something from the cinder - the remnants of a ballet slipper. A tear ran down the girl's face, leaving a light streak through the dark ash on her cheek.

Conor, who had been standing motionless and silent, raised his camera and snapped a single photo... his demeanor shifted, and a look of determination filled his eyes.

"I have a plan, B, and we have work to do."

Conor walked over and tried to get Clarissa's attention, but she just kept staring at the ruined slipper. He finally picked her up and carried her to the car. I found Clarissa's keys still in her car and followed them back to The House. Clarissa managed to walk inside on her own, then Conor found Sam who took the poor girl to get cleaned up.

As soon as the girls left the room, Conor grabbed my shirt and kissed me hard. Even with the dreary details of the moment, I found myself lost in that kiss... fading off into oblivion, where flame and destruction couldn't reach. Conor broke our kiss, then looked at me with eyes of steel.

"We can fix this, B!"

"I believe you, Babe. Just tell me what to do."

"You learned old school drafting with pencils and paper, right?"

"Yes, right after chisels and stone went out of style."

"Okay well... No, that's not what I meant, and don't start us laughing again! Could you sketch the old dance school from memory, and can you draw those letters like you see on old posters?"

"In my sleep, but I'll need to pick up some supplies.

"Good, there's one more thing."

"Name it."

"I need to go out for a while. Can you make sure Clarissa gets out of The House before she trips over an orgy and gets scarred for life?"

"Good thinking; she doesn't need any more trauma."

"Oh, and I'm sorry, B."

"Sorry for what?"

"For what I'm about to do."

Conor gave me a quick kiss, and picked up his phone.

"Hi Sean, it's Conor."

"I'm okay, how are you?"

"Good... listen, there's something I need to talk to you about. Can we meet for lunch today?"

"How about Cillian's at 11:30?"

"Great, see you then."

I didn't really have time to process what had just happened. One second Conor was on a mission to save the dance school, and the next second he was making lunch plans with his ex-lover. I had no idea what to say, so I didn't say anything.

Conor ended the call with Sean, looking like a puppy caught in the act of pissing on the floor.

"I was trying to keep him out of the picture, but I need his help, B."

"You don't need an excuse to see Sean, Conor. He is your friend after all."

"You've been extremely supportive with Sean, and I want you to know how much I appreciate it. Even so, I know it's hard for you, which is why I haven't brought the topic up or even mentioned his name."

I grabbed Conor by his hands and pulled him into me.

"... and I appreciate that, babe. It isn't easy I admit, but if you feel like Sean can help, I won't stand in your way. I trust you... maybe not him so much, but I trust you."

"Thanks, B. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Conor had taken Jim's car to meet Sean, and I went to check on Clarissa. I heard laughing as I knocked on Sam's door... a good sign. When Sam opened the door, the girls walked out, and Clarissa looked at me with an "I know what you did last night" look, then glanced back at Sam and giggled.

I looked at Sam. "What was that all about?"

"Oh, nothing... just girl stuff."

When I turned back around, Clarissa was at the end of the hall, introducing herself to Sun and Moon who had just come out of the Red Room... sweaty and half naked. I sprinted over and grabbed her by the shoulders, redirecting her to the lounge. Sam caught up with us and whispered in my ear, "She took some kind of pill. I don't know what it was."

Clarissa leaned into me, then put a hand on my ass. I reached back and moved it off, then she put it back and squeezed my cheek.

"Okay... I think we need to get you home."

"Nooooo... I want to stay... lots of pretty people here. Where is Conor? I want to watch you two kiss."

"Clarissa, what did you take?"

"Happppy pills, yay!"

Sam dug through Clarissa's bag and pulled out a bottle. "It's Valium. The prescription is for one, but I think she took two."

"She'll be alright, but... and there she goes."

I scooped the girl up before she hit the floor.

"Shit, what do we do with her, Brandon?"

"Well, I can't take her home like this, but I promised Conor to get her out of here before the action starts... and I have errands to run."

"Well, I guess you can put her in my bed. I'll let you know when she wakes up."

"You're the best, Sam. Thank you!"

After tucking Clarissa in and convincing Tom she wasn't a sex doll, I took off on foot to get the supplies I needed. Before reaching the street, an idea hit me, and I ran back to The House to grab Conor's portfolio.

Back outside, I headed to one of the shops that Conor and I had visited. The artist store would have the supplies for Conor's project, and my surprise. Only thirty minutes later, I had everything I needed, including a folding chair, which I placed on the sidewalk in front of the abandoned building that Conor loved so much. I made a few sketches of the dance studio, including the wording from the sign that had hung out front, "Dance of the heart" both in French and English. With that done, I set to my next task... an architectural drawing of Conor's photo gallery.

After getting to know him, I could see what had drawn Conor to the place. The building had a timeless look, and needed no gimmicks to achieve it's beautiful elegance... much like Conor himself. I started looking beyond the cracked paint and windows, stripping the place down in my mind, and the finished project started taking shape.

Looking through Conor's portfolio, I tried to gain an even better sense of his character, and how it could translate to the architecture of the building. I had been drawing for about an hour when I noticed the shadow of someone standing behind me. I turned my head to see a petite woman with thick glasses and black hair lined with silver. The woman smiled when our eyes met, and I smiled back.

"Hello, beautiful day, isn't it?"

"It is, and your drawings are beautiful. I hope you don't mind that I've been watching you work. You seemed to be deeply focused, and I didn't want to interrupt you."

"I don't mind at all."

"May I have a closer look?"

I handed her the few pages I had been working on and introduced myself. The woman studied my drawings for a moment.

"My name is Rose. May I ask why you are putting such effort into such a rundown heap?"

"The drawings are for someone special. He's been saving for five years and hopes to buy the place and turn it into a gallery of his work. He wants to bring back the spirit of the building, as it once was."

Rose looked at me above the papers for a moment. "This person, you love him very much."

I was taken back at the statement, which was no question, and didn't reply.

"I'm old enough to know love when I see it, young man, but I am no prude. Love is love, and isn't bound by gender, age, or race... You pay tribute to the original look of the building, but even better than it was."

"You remember the place from before?"

"I should. I've owned it for almost 50 years."

Just then I recalled seeing a faded sign leaning against one of the walls in the building, which read, "Rose's Boutique & Fine Arts." Rose reached into her pocket and pulled out an old skeleton key.

"Come, I will show you inside."

Rose used the old key to unlock the door, which despite a few cracked windows and peeling paint, seemed to be in good condition. As we walked through the building, rose explained how she had worked two waitress jobs until she saved enough money to make the down payment for the place.

"Owing the boutique had been my dream, and in all the years, it never felt like work." Rose paused and looked around, then continued. "I'm afraid that time has taken it's toll on both of us."

Not sure what to say, I let Rose have a second.

"How much has Conor saved?"

I took a moment to look around the bottom floor, which was basically one large room.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. He works hard on his photography business, but I fear it will be quite a while before he could save enough. It's likely someone will have bought it by then."

"Oh, I've had plenty of offers, but everyone wants to tear the place down. Enough history has been lost as it is, and I won't stand for it. Would you sit with an old lady for lunch? I would like to hear more of your story."

Rose and I walked just down the street to a small diner. As we ate our food, Rose slowly looked through Conor's portfolio, studying each image as if reading a book. When Rose got to the ballet photos, she ran her fingers over one. The photograph was of a dancer who had fallen, and was reaching up to the outstretched hand of another dancer. With tears welling up in her eyes, Rose said, "I danced, many years ago. Conor has a rare talent for capturing the human spirit."

Rose continued to ask questions about Conor, including how long I had known him.

"Actually, we only met a little over a week ago."

"Conor must be a special person, indeed, for you to fall in love with him in such short time."

Without looking up, I pushed the remnants of my salad around my plate with my fork "Yes, he's everything to me."

Rose looked at me above her glasses. "I see. You haven't told him how you feel."

I looked up at Rose. "I'm afraid I'll lose him if I tell him."

Rose reached out and put her hand over mine. Her touch was soft, gentle, and comforting. "Fear has left too many hearts lonely, Brandon. I regret very little at my age, but the chances I didn't take because of fear will haunt me until I'm gone."

I felt my eyes gloss up, and took a deep breath. Rose gracefully changed the subject "May I see your other drawings?"

I handed Rose the sketches of the dance studio.

"I know this place... a strong contribution to the community and the art."

"Oh, you haven't heard? No one was hurt, but the school burned down last night. The insurance company refuses to pay, but Conor is convinced we can save it. I'm not entirely sure what his plan is, but I don't doubt he could pull it off."

"Somehow I don't either, but It seems an ambitious task, Brandon, and one I am keeping you from. You should go. Lunch is on me this time.

Rose... I contemplated our meeting as I walked back to The House. There are those people you meet in life, once in a lifetime kind of people, and I had just met one. She didn't judge my relationship with Conor, not for our age difference or for the fact that we're both men. She didn't doubt my love for Conor, though I had only known him a short time. She was frail and strong all at once, and seemed to somehow read my soul. I had a feeling it wasn't the last time I would see Rose.

Almost to The House, my phone vibrated... a text from Sam. "Where are you? She's awake." I replied back, "Not far. Don't let her go anywhere if she's still loopy."

With no sign of Jim's car, I presumed Conor was still away. I rolled up my drawings of his studio just in case, swiped my key card... and was nearly run over by Clarissa, who seemed to be leaving in a hurry.

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry!" Clarissa looked to the ground as she tried to walk around me.

"Clarissa, wait! I need to talk to you."

Eyes still to the ground, Clarissa stopped and turned around. "I know. I... I wasn't... I shouldn't have come onto you. I'm sorry."

"What? Oh that... No, I need to talk to you about the school."

I handed Clarissa one of the drawings I had made. "Conor has a plan to get the school rebuilt. He'll have to fill you in with the details, but..."

Before I could finish my sentence, Clarissa buried her face into my chest. I held the sobbing girl as I finished. "I don't want to build your expectations up with false promises, but I can promise that we're going to try."

Clarissa pulled her face from my t-shirt, now wet with tears. "Everyone has been so nice to me. I don't really have the words... just, thank you."

After giving Clarissa my number and seeing her off, I made my way to Conor's room and hid the incomplete studio drawings in my suitcase. When I walked back out, Sam was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, staring at me.

"Hey Sam. Thanks for looking after Clarissa."

"Yeah, she's sweet."

"Okay, it's not the first time you've given me that look. What's up?"

"You remember what we talked about before?"

"About getting my shit together? I'm working on it, why?"

"Where is Conor right now?"

"He's out meeting with... Sean..."

Sam raised an eyebrow at me and didn't say more... she didn't need to. Conor was out with Sean, and no one knew Sean's intentions. What Sam had said without saying anything was, "Speed it up, dumb ass!"

I made my way to the bar and poured myself a shot of courage. I was about to take a major step and there was no guarantee that it would pay off. Still, it was what I had to... no, what I needed to do. After one more shot, I went upstairs to Jim's room, sat on the bed, and pulled my phone from my pocket. Being an architect has its advantages, and knowing the best realtor in Arizona is one of them. I brought Linda's number up, then sat staring at the screen.

All of the memories of Julie in our house came rushing in at once... The paint fight when we first moved in, after a dispute over bathroom wall color... The holiday parties that she insisted on inviting the entire town to... dancing to old records until midnight... making love on the living room floor... the ever present laughter... and the tender moments we shared when she was sick. I wiped a tear from my face and took a deep breath. Those memories were embedded in my soul, not in our house, and nothing would change that. Besides, I could never go back to Arizona. Sure, I could physically go back, but after everything I had experienced recently, my paradigm had shifted. I wasn't the same person I was when I left, and even if I wanted to, I could never go back to that life.

Within minutes, the deed was done. My house and all of the furnishings were up for sale. I called my neighbor next, who said she would let the movers in for me, as well as donate Julie's clothes to charity. Then I arranged to have everything else, including my car, packed into a container and shipped here. I had no idea what I would do with it all, but I would cross that bridge when I got to it. My final call was to Roger, by boss.

"Hey Rog, you have a few minutes?"

"Actually I was just thinking about you. We scored a big contract in Phoenix and I'm putting you on lead... but that can wait, how is your vacation going?"

"Well, I suppose life-changing would sum it up fairly well."

"Life-changing good, or life-changing bad?"

"Better than good at this point, which is why I'm calling you. I'm moving to Florida, Rog."

"You... are you sure? You know what that means, right? I would hate to lose you, Brandon."

"Yeah, I know what it means. Tell the board to expect my resignation within the week."

"Damn it Brandon, you're my best architect! I was counting on you to... oh hell, this is about your new friend, isn't it?"

"My boyfriend, yes... and no. It's about me making a new life for myself. I'm hoping he's a part of it, but it's just time to move on, Rog."

"I guess I can't argue with that. To be honest, I'm a bit jealous. I've always wanted to live near the ocean."

"Well, you and Deb will have to come visit then. You should probably tell her that I have a boyfriend first, though."

"Haha, well, I'm sure she will like him. I'm sure we both will. I meant what I said before, Brandon, I just want to see you happy. I wish you the best, my friend."

"You are truly a good friend, Roger. Let's stay in touch."

"You can count on that. Take care, Brandon."

Though I could poke my keyboard from the Moon and still get my work done, my contract required for me to live within my state of employment. If the company had a Florida office, I could have asked for a transfer, but that wasn't the case. In truth, it didn't matter... I had to let everything go, everything or nothing. I nearly laughed out loud when I realized that I was now homeless and unemployed! Then the truth hit me... I was free, and the freedom was more intoxicating than the shots of tequila I had just downed. I heard the front door close, then heard Conor's voice. "Have you seen Brandon?" It was everything I could do not to run down, scoop him up and tell him... but I knew I needed a better plan than that... A beach walk! I would take Conor to the beach after the event and tell him everything! I calmed myself and went downstairs.

"I'm here, babe. I was just making some calls."

Conor was beaming from ear to ear. "Sean is having his production team print up posters, and his tech team make a website for collecting donations. He's even convinced the company to donate the expense!"

It was extremely difficult to sort through my emotions then... though I knew Conor was excited about saving the school, the fact that the first word out of his mouth was "Sean" stung. Was I being oversensitive, or unreasonably jealous? Was Sean even a threat to my relationship with Conor, or was I making a big deal out of nothing? I would know the answers to those questions soon enough. Until then, I just needed to support my love.

"That's great news, babe!" I walked over and wrapped my arms around Conor, then leaned in and kissed him. It did my heart good to feel those soft lips return the kiss, and the sweet tongue that snuck in to touch mine. I couldn't stop the smile forming on my face if I wanted to. Conor finally broke the kiss and sighed.

"Sorry to be all business, B, but do you have the sketch?"

"I understand, and yes, it's in your room."

"Could you grab it and meet me in the kitchen? Oh, and your pencils too?"

When I found Conor in the kitchen, he had torn pages out of a notebook and laid them out on a table, then pulled a large photo out of a tube. The picture was the one he took of Clarissa at the ruins of the burnt school. Realization struck Conor when he saw the girl.

"Oh shite, is she still here? How's she?"

"No, no, she went home. I told her we were working on things and you would call her later. She was distraught, but, ummm... took a nap, and seemed better after." I smiled to myself at the new revelation... Conor's Irish comes out when he gets worried.

"Oh good! Thanks, B."

After an hour of brainstorming and tweaks... and powdered donut holes and coffee... we had a finished product. The photo sat on the top half of the poster sized page, with my drawing of the dance studio underneath, with "old school" letters that read "Revive the Dance of the Heart!" directing people to the website. Sam, Tom, and a few others had gathered around watching, tossing out ideas, and even offered to help distribute the posters once they were printed. I penciled out the last letter and Conor smiled, then looked at his phone.

"Damn, it's getting late. I haven't prepared anything for the event tonight, and I still need to get this to Sean."

Sam spoke up, "No worries, Conor. I knew you had your hands full so I arranged for Charles to bring his toys again. I also asked Carl to run the lights and sound... he was so excited I think he jizzed his pants."

The gratitude on Conor's face was evident. "Wow, I... Thank you, Sammy! In that case I'll stay and help with the printing, too."

I wasn't exactly happy to hear that last sentence. My walk on the beach was thwarted, and Conor would be with Sean alone again.

"Well, take Brandon with you then. The last thing I need is his distracted ass missing you and putting rum in my vodka martini. Tom can tend bar tonight."

Tom didn't seem too enthusiastic about tending bar. "I can?"... until he got "the look" from Sam. "Oh Yeah, no problemo, man!"

I knew exactly what Sam was doing, and gave her my best "thank you" face.

As we were walking to the car, Conor said, "The tails are sexy."

"Huh? That was random."

"Oh, I was just thinking how much fun the last toy party was, and how sexy the tails are. Are you sure you don't want to stay?"

I was put off by Conor's question, and my tone reflected it. "The party was fun for me because you were there. Do you not want me to go with you, or what?"

Conor looked a bit shocked. "It's not that at all, B. I just thought you might... Oh, I see what's going on."

We climbed into the car, then Conor's tone changed to match mine.

"I think we need to be honest here! If you have something on your mind, just get it out!"

"Okay, I will! Do you still have feelings for him?!"

Conor gripped the steering wheel tight, then closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmly replied. "I have fond memories of our relationship, but we're not the same people we were then. He's my friend, B, more like a brother now. That's why I didn't accept the photoshoot contract. I don't want to ruin a friendship with business. We may as well clear the air; is there anything else you want to know?"

I calmed myself down. "If things happened differently, do you think you and Sean would still be together?"

Conor thought for a moment. "If things happened differently, I don't think we would have been together in the first place. Our circumstances are what bonded us. Anything else?"

Starting to feel a bit of an ass, I decided it was best to lighten the mood. "Yeah, I think the tails are hot, too. Maybe you should get one."

Conor looked at me and smiled, then started the car. "Maybe you should pick one out and surprise me."

After arriving at the office building, Sean greeted us and took us to the publishing room. Because of my conversation with Conor, I was more at ease with the situation, and Sean seemed genuinely happy that I was there. With the small team now formed, Sean had his staff prep everything and train each of us on the machines, then he sent them home for the evening. We fumbled through a few mistakes until finally catching our rhythm. The two boys nearly had me falling down laughing as they talked about some of their youthful misadventures.

"Ey Conor, remember Mrs. O'Malley?"

"Yes, an' do you remember charlie horses and wet willies?"

"... and her strawberry patch."

"Shut ur trap, Sean."

"... and her one eyed hound."

"Keep it up and I'll have at you, arse weed."

"We were tendin' to the ol' lady's berries."

"We were stealing them, Sean."

"Well, she would just leave `em to rot... Anyways, the ol' lady came out the side door with the hound, blocking our exit. I hid behind a wheelbarrow, but Conor..."

"Keep laughing, geebag."

"... Conor tried to make a break for it and literally ended up with his ass caught in a blackberry bush hanging upside-down. Well, Mrs. O'Malley was near blind and didn't... didn't even see him when... when she tossed the chicken shite fertilizer!"

"...and... and then turned the water hose on him... but the best part... was when..."

"Last warning, dick face... and no laughing, B, or you won't be getting laid tonight."

"...when the hound lifted his leg and..."

Conor took off at a sprint towards Sean.

"... pissed him in the face!"

In spite of Conor's warning about not getting laid, I was in stitches again. Sean tried to run, but was laughing too hard to move. Conor tackled Sean, and held him down, stuck a finger in his mouth, then stuck the glistening wet digit into Sean's ear. Watching the two quenched any remnants of doubt I had left... they were brothers through and through.

Between the commotion and the noisy machines, I didn't hear the door open, and didn't realize someone had joined us in the room until he spoke.

"It looks like someone is enjoying themselves."

I jumped a bit then turned to see a man standing next to me.

"My apologies if I startled you. I'm Aiden, Sean's fiance."

I smiled and held out my hand. "Brandon, Conor's boyfriend, well met. Sean has mentioned you, but I wasn't aware you were engaged."

Aiden shook my hand, but I sensed something was off. "Funny, Sean hasn't mentioned you two... Tell me, Brandon, why is your boyfriend on top of mine?"

I started to explain that they were just horsing around, but Aiden didn't give me the chance, walking over to Sean instead. Conor had just helped Sean up, and when he noticed Aiden it didn't take much to read the look on his face... the look of fear. Aiden completely ignored Conor, then leaned in and whispered something to Sean. Without a word of explanation, Sean followed Aiden out of the room.

"Was that Aiden? He seemed upset."

"Yes, and apparently Sean neglected to tell him about you."

We could hear Aiden's raised voice through the closed doorway. The only words I could make out were "Ungrateful tramp!", then we heard a loud slap.

I caught Conor as he sprinted toward the door.

"Let me go, B!"

"No. You calm down and wait here. I'll go."

Conor started to pull away, then stopped.

"Okay, you go, but if that bastard..."

Before I could get to the door, Sean was coming inside. I knew we had trouble when I saw the bright red handprint on Sean's face.

Conor raced past me and reached for the door handle behind Sean, who blocked his way. "No, Conor, please! It was just a misunderstanding!"

Conor pointed at Sean's face. "That is not a misunderstanding!"

A tear ran down Sean's face and his voice cracked. "Please, it'll just make it worse... please."

Conor's expression softened, then he pressed his back to the door and slid to the floor. "Why, Sean? You could have left it all behind. Why?"

Sean slid down next to Conor. "It wasn't intentional. I, I guess it's all I've ever known. I've tried to break it off with him, but..."

"But he won't let you go."

"... but I love him, Conor."

Conor put his hands over his face. "No, no, no! This has to end, Sean. You may love him, but he does not love you and he certainly doesn't deserve your love."

I knelt down in front of Sean. "He's right. You don't abuse people you love. I would never do that to Conor, and he wouldn't do it to me. How many others do you think he's abused? I guarantee you're not the first, and you won't be the last. How would you feel if he went after Conor?" I knew that last statement was a stretch, and Conor would pummel Aiden anyway, but I needed to drive the point home.

Sean sat up, eyes full of fear again. "No! I can't let that happen! ... but I don't know what to do."

I had a hunch that Aiden's past was riddled with violence, and I knew just the person that could find out. "I have an idea, if you will trust me. I won't do anything that will put you in harm."

I knew better than to expect Sean's trust, so I looked to Conor.

"You can trust him. I do."

With tears streaming down his face, Sean nodded his agreement. "Whatever we need to do to make him stop, let's do it."

Conor put his hand on Sean's shoulder. "You're staying at The House until I know you're safe."

The last of the posters had printed while we were talking, and I was ready for a change of scenery. "Let's load these up and go. You can ride with Conor and I'll drive your car."

"Thank you, but I'm okay. I need to stop at the dry cleaners and pick up some clothes for work tomorrow anyway." Sean looked at Conor and grinned. Unless you have a suit that I can borrow."

Conor grabbed Sean and ruffled his black hair. "You know I don't wear monkey suits!"

With the thousand posters loaded up, we set off to The House.

"So, what's the plan, B?"

"Well I want to fuck that gobshite up so bad he cries every time he sees his own shadow! Unfortunately that's the exact opposite of the right way to deal with him. My plan starts with Thomas. He should be at The House with Charles tonight."

Conor grinned at me. "Gobshite? Dead on, B! But if we get the cops involved, it could backfire and set Aiden off."

"If my guess is right, Aiden has outstanding warrants, either here, in Ireland, or both. I'm hoping we can get him locked up without Sean being involved. If that doesn't work, we'll come up with another plan. You don't think Sean would go back to Aiden, do you?"

"I thought about that. If he makes the choice to return to Aiden, there's not much we can do for him. I don't think he will, though. He was right behind us until he turned into the dry cleaners a block back."

It started raining hard as we pulled up the driveway. "Here's a new phase for you, B. It's bucketing out there!"

We made a quick dash inside, leaving the posters in the car for later. The party had just started, and Conor had a good laugh when he realized the scene Sean would be walking into. "Well, it'll keep him distracted if anything." Sun and moon were locked in a 69 wearing nothing but fox tails. Carl had apparently been abducted from his post at the sound booth by Josh and Kevin. The two mischief makers had Carl writhing on a beanbag with some kind of remote controlled toy up his ass. Carl's stomach was glistening wet with cum already, and he yelled out, spraying another load on himself.

We found Thomas at the bar talking to Katrina and Tom. Tom gave us a sour look when he saw us.

"Oh man, you're back already? I was just starting to have fun!"

"Well, don't let me stop you. In fact, I'll have a bourbon and cola, please."

"Oh hell, no. I made a new drink. You gotta try it!"

"A new drink?"

Tom grabbed a pitcher and poured his concoction into two frosted glasses.

"I call it, "The Flaming Dragon!" Named after Kat's tits... I mean tats!"

I cringed, but didn't dare ask what was in the drink, then looked at Conor and said, "Cheers?"

Conor lifted one corner of his mouth and crinkled his nose before taking a sip. "Damn, B, that's not bad."

It wasn't bad, it was actually good. "Nice work, Tom. Do you remember what you put in it?"

"Yeah, man. I wrote it down. I'll tell you if you teach me some of yours." Tom pointed at Kat, who pulled her shirt up to show us the recipe... written on her boob.

I laughed and raised my glass to Tom. "You have a deal my friend, but you better snap a picture before someone licks your receipe off."

Conor grabbed my arm to get my attention. "Sean is leaving the cleaners now, B"

Reality set in, and I pulled Thomas to Conor's room then loosely explained the situation, leaving names out. "So, if I gave you a name, could you run a warrant check on this person?"

Thomas rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, but It's illegal for me to run a check without probable cause. I could do it if this friend of yours wants to press charges, but believe me, I understand why he or she may not want..."

"Help me, B!"

Conor yelled and sprinted out of the room. Thomas and I followed, arriving at the front door just as it was opened, revealing a rain soaked figure. Both Conor and I reached out and caught the man as he fell through the doorway. It wasn't until we got into the light that I recognized Sean, his shirt covered in muddy boot prints, and face covered in blood.

The training I received in order to take care of Julie at home kicked in. I checked Sean's airway and realized he was drowning in his own blood! I checked for a pulse and found none. As I started compressions, the world seemed to slow down around me. My entire being was focused on the dying boy under my hands. I was his breath and heartbeat, and his only chance to live.

I faintly heard Thomas call 911, and how upset Conor was, but there was no way I could comfort him. "Don't you fucking die, Sean! I just got you back... fight, damn it, fight!" I heard Thomas yelling at the crowd to get back, then at Conor.

"Conor! Conor! Do you know who did this?"

Conor finally responded by handing Thomas Sean's cell phone. "He told me who did it! It was Aiden, that fucking bastard!"

"Shit, it's password protected!"

"Try C h r o i!"

"That's it, I'm in!"

Seconds seemed like minutes as I continued CPR. I finally heard sirens and screeching tires and glanced through the open door... Fuck!... a police car, no ambulance! I paused to feel for a pulse... nothing... compressions again... One, two, three... The fucking ambulance would take too long! Four, five, six... Come on, Sean, breathe! Do not die on my watch, damn it! Droplets of blood hit my shirt as Sean coughed and gasped for air, then his eyes went wide and he shielded his face.

"It's me, Sean! It's Conor!"

Sean reached out and took Conor's hand, then passed out again. I saw the fear in Conor's face, then checked... "It's okay, he's still breathing." I heard the ambulance pull up, then moved out of the way as the medics took over. Conor wrapped his arms around me and buried his head in my neck, trying to contain the sobs.

"You saved him, B. Thank you!"

"You should go with him, Conor. He'll need you."

Conor nodded and kissed my neck. As he started to get in the ambulance, the medics stopped him, stating that only family was allowed. I yelled out, "They're brothers!" The medic hesitated until Thomas yelled, "You heard the man, let him go!"

As the flashing lights pulled away, Thomas put a hand on my shoulder, then handed me Sean's cell. The last message he had sent to Conor read, "Aiden followed me. Help!".

"You did good, Brandon. Now, let's talk about that probable cause that I needed."

After filling Thomas in and quickly cleaning myself up, I stood at the mirror looking back at myself. This day didn't exactly turn out as I had planned, and it didn't escape my notice that Sean's choice of passwords was his pet name for Conor. Years had passed, yet he still clung to his Chroi. I couldn't blame him. The bond those two shared would likely never be broken, even by death.

I picked up my phone and brought up a map to the hospital. I may have pulled Sean from death's doorstep, but Aiden had hurt him badly. I told Conor that Sean would need him, but if Sean didn't make it, Conor would need me. I grabbed the keys to Jim's car and headed out.

With a bit of detective work and some exploring, I finally found the small waiting room outside the trauma ward. Conor was standing just outside on a small balcony, staring off into the night. I walked up next to my love.

"Hey babe."

Conor jumped at the sound of my voice, then wrapped his arms around me once he realized who it was.

"Sorry, babe, I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm glad you're here, B, but how did you get in?"

"Unfortunately, I have a great deal of experience with hospitals. If you act like you belong, people expect that you do. How is he?"

"He's in surgery. He has a punctured lung and other internal damage. They are trying to stop the bleeding. That's all I know. What did Thomas say?"

"They are looking for Aiden. I told them he may try to leave the country, so they're watching the airports. I don't suspect he'll get very far."

"Good. He needs to pay for what he did. I got Sean's mom's number from my mom. She's catching the next flight out."

"That's good. Just let me know when she's arriving and I'll pick her up."

Conor snuggled into my shoulder. "Thank's B, for everything. I don't know what I'll do without you."

"Conor, what would you say if..."

Before I could finish my sentence, a nurse stepped out on the balcony.

"He's out of surgery and asking for you. He'll recover but it won't be a quick process."

Conor took my hand and started walking toward the nurse.

"I'm sorry, but the officer said only his brother is allowed in."

Conor started to protest, but I didn't want to compromise his "brother" cover. "It's okay, go take care of him. Whatever you need, I'm here for you."

Without hesitation, Conor pressed his lips to mine, then pulled away and followed the nurse into the building. As the glass door closed behind him, Conor turned and looked at me... his emerald eyes sparkled as he mouthed "I love you."

To be continued...