USUAL INTRO, THANKS & APOLOGY =============================
Well, after the length of the last intro, I'm keeping this short. I just want to apologise for referring you to "end" last time and then not putting anything at the end, oops! Thanks to all who are reading, all who are mailing (esp. number 666!) and the growing number who are chatting. Finally, I am so very, very sorry about the delay before this part, and I swear that Part 10 will follow more swiftly. Forgive me?
DISCLAIMER ==========
This is a work of fiction; any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental. The author asserts all legal and moral rights (copyright (c) 2000 - ardveche@hotmail.com) to this work and you may not copy it or transmit it in any way except in its entirety and with this disclaimer. This story features descriptions of sex between consenting (all over the legal age, at least in my jurisdiction they are) males:
- if such material is prohibited in your jurisdiction, please DO NOT READ ON, - if you're under the legal age to read such material, please DO NOT READ ON, - if you don't like, or are offended by such material, please DO NOT READ ON.
Now, if everyone who is still here is meant to be here, let's get on with it. All comments are welcome and gratefully received (email them to ardveche@hotmail.com).
NEW TO THIS STATE =================
Chapter 9 - The Morning After
Curtis raised his head and looked at me oddly. He started to speak once or twice, but stopped each time, clearly struggling to put his thoughts into words. I let him take his time to sort things out in his head, not wanting to push him or hurry him.
"Drew. Are you sure about that."
"Yes. Maybe. I don't know." I honestly had been sure when I said it at first, but now that his penetrating gaze was fixed on me I found myself becoming hopelessly confused and unsure.
"Don't confuse sex and love, buddy. Okay?"
"I'm not!" I replied a little more hotly than I had intended. I knew the difference between love and sex. Didn't I? Or did I?
"I think maybe you are. And I think maybe you feel sorry for me too." He said it very mildly, practically whispering the words, and there was a trace of sadness in his voice as he spoke to my shoulder.
"That's not fair."
"I think it is."
"Why did you have to bring this up now? Why did you have to spoil it?" I was whining a little now, but I didn't really care, I felt pretty upset with him.
"I'm not trying to spoil anything. It was lovely. But I don't think you should lie to yourself, and I know you shouldn't lie to me."
"I'm not lying. I care about you a lot, Curtis."
"Which isn't the same as loving me."
"Now you're just playing word games."
"Am I?" His mild tone and refusal to look away from me was beginning to make me angry. I sat up and glared at him for a moment before speaking.
"Don't be an asshole, Reid." I tried to be light-hearted with my tone as I punched him gently in the side. I had totally forgotten, and was unprepared for his reaction, which was to gasp sharply.
"Oh, Jeez! Ow!" He curled up into a little ball and made whimpering noises. I was worried I'd really hurt him when a strangled laughing erupted from him. "Hurt me some more, Quinn. I love it!" I hugged him as tightly as I dared and chastised him, albeit pathetically, for scaring me like that.
"Scumbag."
"Yeah? So stop hugging me if that's the way you feel." He mumbled into my chest.
"Maybe later."
"Drew, I could stay like this forever, man. It feels so good."
"I know."
"Modest, aren't you?"
"Fuck you." I replied, succinctly.
"There you go with that again!" He laughed, and I couldn't help but join in. I was feeling pretty wonderful too, it felt so good just to lie there and hold this beautiful guy in my arms. Nothing compared to it. Nothing. My earlier certainty began to return as I lay there holding him close and stroking his hair. Our heartbeats had synchronized and we were breathing rhythmically together. The warmth and solidity of his body just felt too good for me ever want to be anywhere else, or with anyone else. Even Tyler.
"I really do mean it."
"Mm?" Non-committal, but questioning grunt from Curtis.
"I think I am falling in love with you, man. And it's not pity, or lust. A lot's happened, sure, but we've become so incredibly close, so fast it just took me time to deal with it all and sort stuff out in my head."
"Mm?" He said again, more quietly this time.
"You're not adding a lot to this, are you?" I guess I'm pretty easily frustrated.
"Other than my beauty?"
"Asshole."
"I thought we established that?" I could practically hear his grin. He stirred against me, and pulled away a little to look me in the eye. "Tell me again." He instructed. I looked into his deep, green eyes for the longest time and then in a voice that surprised even me with its sincerity and steadiness, I did as I was told.
"Curtis Reid, I love you. More than anyone else in the world." He gazed back into my eyes and I waited for him to respond, I was determined not to look away until he did.
"I believe you." His voice cracked as he spoke and he leant forward to kiss the tip of my nose, when he pulled back, I could see tears forming in my eyes. He hugged me so hard it hurt, so it must have been absolute agony for him. "You just made me the happiest person in the world, Drew. I love you so much it hurts."
"As much as this hug?" I joked, and then thought better of it. "But you're wrong, I'm the happiest guy in the world, and I'll fight you for it."
"You?"
"Me. Let's look at it logically. I'm getting a beautiful, sensitive, smart, confident, strong, brave, wonderful, perfect guy." He snorted at me and was about to protest, but I placed my finger on his lips. "Let me finish. All you're getting is a shallow, arrogant, stupid, spineless jerk." He gripped one of nipples and twisted, causing me to squeal at the sudden, unexpected pain.
"Don't be a moron, Drew." He kissed me on the nose again as I rubbed at the abused nipple and frowned at him. "You are so smart, and cool. And cute as hell. Look at those lips." He kissed them. "And your cheeks." He kissed them too. "And your lovely brown eyes." He kissed my eyelids which was sort of weird. "And your chin." And so he went on, until I interrupted him.
"So you only want me for my body." I tried, and failed, to look hurt.
"Yup." He stopped kissing my belly and grinned up at me. "But seriously, you're not being fair to yourself. When I met you, you were all of those things."
"Gee, thanks."
"Shut up. But you've changed, dude. You were really brave, and a true friend, coming after me like that. And you are so decent and caring, you're actually a pretty good person when you drop the fa‡ade and act like yourself."
"You really think so?"
"Sure I do. I never sleep with assholes." I guess he intended that to be a joke, but it only made me wonder about his sexual history which was obviously a lot longer than mine. Admittedly, mine you could write on the back of a postage stamp, but even so.
"Curtis, can I ask you a personal question?" I asked a little hesitantly.
"Sure, you want to know my middle name?"
"Huh?"
"I'm kidding. Shoot."
"Actually, what is your middle name?" Suddenly I was oddly interested, if only because it meant I could stall asking what I really wanted to know for a bit longer.
"Would you believe, Mayfield?" He grinned sheepishly.
"No kidding?"
"Yeah, I made that up to make myself seem more dorky. Of course I'm not kidding. What's yours?"
"Timothy. Mayfield, really? Wow."
"Drop it, or I'll tickle you, Timothy!" He threatened.
"You're a hard man, Mayfield!" And we collapsed into giggles again. Not for the first time, I was glad I had chosen a room so far from my mother's and could make some noise without fear of it carrying to the rest of the house.
"Can I stay here tonight?" He asked me when we had settled down again and were lying holding one another once more.
"You have to ask? Of course you can!" It was my turn to kiss his nose, in what I hoped was a reassuring and loving way. I think it probably was. "In fact, you just try leaving me now."
"No. I think I'll pass. Move over a bit."
"For you, my love, anything." I shifted over in the bed, so I was lying on my back, and he moved with me throwing one leg across mine and resting his head over my heart, his other hand tracing little circles on my body. I wrapped my arms about him, and that was how we drifted off to sleep together, for what I prayed would be the first of many times.
When I awoke the following morning, I was alone in my bed and I felt a sudden pang of desolation. I had so wanted to wake up in Curtis's arms as I had done before. I sat up groggily and blinked mole-like in the bright daylight. There was nothing at all to indicate that Curtis had spent the night with me, and I even wondered briefly if it had been a dream. But I knew it hadn't, it had all been far more wonderful than any dream could ever be. I performed my usual morning ritual and threw on some clothes, taking less care over it than I would on a weekday. Just a pair of faded blue jeans, plain gray T-shirt and a white flannel shirt. Haste aside, I still think I looked pretty good. As I was brushing my hair there was that tentative knock at my door that I was coming to know so well.
"Knock, knock."
"C'mon in, handsome." I said without looking round.
"I could have been anybody." He replied coming up behind me and placing his hands on my hips as he kissed the back of my neck.
"Nah. Not just anybody."
"So sweet."
"Where did you go this morning."
"Downstairs. Didn't want to get caught 'in flagrante'. You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to wake you, but it was getting late." He kissed me again. "I have something for you."
"What? Something better than that kiss?" He released my waist with a chuckle and reaching up removed the crucifix from round his neck. I watched in the mirror as he placed it reverentially around my own neck and fastened the catch.
"That's to say thank you."
"Curtis, you don't have to..."
"I know. It was my mom's and I want you to have. She'd have liked you, I know she would."
"And I would've liked her, anyone who could produce someone like you had to be pretty special." I realized how 'mooshy', to use his word, that sounded and was secretly pleased to see him blush a deep red. "Thanks, I'll treasure it." I said simply and turning in his arms kissed him firmly on the lips. When we parted he gave me a big goofy grin. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled five-dollar bill and handed it to me.
"What's that for?" I asked.
"The cigarettes. I don't have anything smaller."
"Oh." And then an idea came to me; I pressed it back into his hand. "Here, five dollah. Now you have to 'love me long time'." We both laughed at this weak joke from the previous day.
"Let's go eat." He said and placing a hand on my back he pushed me towards the door, I couldn't help but notice him dropping the money onto my dresser on his way past, but decided to let it go. If he was going to be stubborn about paying for the cigarettes, then I guess I could let him have that much. We trotted downstairs together and into the kitchen, where Lois and my mom were sitting drinking coffee and perusing the papers.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty!" My mother said as I walked in. The clock revealed that it was nearly noon, so I guess she had a point.
"Why do I get all the grief? What about him?" I jerked my thumb at Curtis.
"Curtis was up and about hours ago, dear." Lois supplied.
"Someone called David called for you, Andrew. He left his number, I wrote it down by the 'phone." My mother said turning back to her crossword.
"David?" I was momentarily puzzled. "Oh. Right. David. I guess I should call him back then?" I glanced at Curtis who shrugged as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "I wonder what he wants?"
"Only one way to find out." Curtis and Lois said together, my mom snorted into her coffee cup. I went through to the parlor and dialed the number written on the notepad, it rang a couple of times and then a familiar sounding voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Um, David? Hi."
"Drew. Cool, you called back."
"Of course I did." Why would he think I might not?
"Well, after the other day I wondered if you might be pissed - you know? All of us going over to Tyler's place? So anyway, are you coming over here for this Hitchcock extravaganza?"
"Huh?"
"I rented 'Psycho', 'Rear Window', 'North by Northwest' and 'Strangers on a Train', my personal favorite."
"Um." Curtis came in to the room and placed a cup of coffee in front of me.
"What's up?"
"Well, I'm kinda busy today, David." I looked at Curtis who was shaking his head and mouthing the word 'go' at me. I shook my head.
"Yeah? Tyler told me what happened to Reid. He still at your place?"
"Yes." I wondered how much Tyler had told him.
"So. Tyler says to invite him too." He sounded almost too casual, slightly forced.
"Really?"
"Sure, Tyler says he's cool."
"Hang on." I covered the receiver with my hand and turned to Curtis. "He wants us both to go over and watch videos at his place."
"Not me, Drew, but you should go. Really."
"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you on your own."
"You won't be. Go." He turned to leave the room, making it abundantly clear that he considered the conversation to be over. I raised the receiver to my ear again.
"Okay, I'll come over, but not four in one day, okay? Just one or two."
"Lightweight!"
"Whatever. So where do you live?" I noted down the address and after a few more jibes back and forth we said goodbye and I went back through to the kitchen to get directions from Lois and to check that I could borrow my mom's car.
"So are you sure you don't want me to stay here?" I asked Curtis.
"He's going to be busy helping me in the garden." Lois informed me. "Of course he can't do much actual work, but he gives me something nice to look at." Everyone laughed except Curtis who turned bright red.
"Okay, well, I'll be back in a few hours. Okay?"
"Have fun." They chorused. I shook my head in exasperation and headed off, Lois's crudely drawn map clutched in one hand. It took longer than I thought, and I made a few wrong turns along the way, but I finally pulled up in front of a substantial looking house which seemed to be the right one. Tyler's BMW was parked out front so it had to be the place. I checked my appearance in the mirror and got out. The door was opened before I was halfway up the path and David was grinning at me.
"You're on your own?" He asked.
"Yeah, Curtis didn't want to come. I guess he's still pretty beat up."
"Yeah. C'mon in." I was led through the hallway and downstairs to the converted basement. It was all paneled in pine with a couple of battered couches and beanbags around a big TV. Tyler was there, pouring coke into glasses and joking with Kate and a fairly tall, very good-looking, blond girl who I didn't recognize.
"Hi, Kate!"
"Hey, Drew. It's been too long." She answered wryly with a grin.
"Drew, this is Lynne." David introduced me to the new girl.
"Hi, Drew. Tyler's told me a lot about you." She seemed nice, but I couldn't stop myself from thinking 'well he sure didn't mention you'. Perhaps uncharitably?
"Pleased to meet you." I managed. "Hey." I said to Tyler as I accepted a drink.
"Hey. Where's dumbass?" He asked quietly.
"He didn't want to come."
"Figures." He snorted as he handed a glass to Lynne.
"Thanks." She chirped and kissed him on the cheek. Tyler let his hand drop to her waist and the kiss moved round from his cheek to his lips. Time drew out painfully.
"Get a room." David said and lobbed a cushion at them. They broke apart, both grinning; him sheepishly, her more sort of proudly. If that makes sense. My stomach lurched, and then I felt guilty. Tyler deserved to be happy, and anyway, I was with Curtis. Right?
"Yeah, cool it with the PDA you two." Kate added, I remained silent.
"So what's up first? 'North by Northwest'? Or do you wanna do them in the order they were made?" David asked squatting by the TV and video and looking over his shoulder at us.
"Gotta be Psycho first. Surely?" Tyler responded, with a grin in my direction. "We're here to educate our poor unfortunate from the East."
"Okay. You're the boss." I wondered silently how often Tyler had heard those words, and then found myself feeling guilty again. What had got into me, why was I thinking such mean thoughts all of a sudden? It wasn't like me. Kate dropped onto the couch beside me as Lynne snuggled up against Tyler in a large armchair, leaving David sitting on the floor using a fraying beanbag as a backrest.
David lifted the remote and started the tape and we all settled down to watch the movie. I spent much of the time watching Tyler and Lynne out of the corner of my eye as she pawed at him and tried to make out but eventually my attention focused on the movie. It was pretty good, I guess, if a little obvious in places - but I certainly preferred it to more recent horror movies of the "buckets of gore" school. For a while I was able to tune out and concentrate only on the screen and actually found myself starting to relax.
"So, what d'you think, buddy?" David asked as he set the tape to rewind.
"Pretty good." I answered vaguely.
"Pretty good? It's a classic!"
"Let him be, David." Tyler grunted as he wandered across the room in pursuit of more chips. "Anyone need more coke?" he was rewarded with a chorus of 'yes' and sighed heavily.
"I'm just trying to help him appreciate masterful cinema, Ellis." David retorted once his glass had been refilled. "Hitchcock is an important part of his cultural development."
"You're obsessed."
"Perhaps."
"Will you two give it a rest?" Kate asked. "It's only a movie!"
"Take that back!" David cried with a look of mock horror on his face.
"Drop dead."
"You'll pay for that, 'Katie'."
"Never call me that." She pounced on him, pinning him to the floor and tickling him until he begged for mercy. I watched the whole scene with amusement, especially as it was clear that David in no way minded the physical contact with Kate.
"Get a room." Tyler's voice mocked the tone Kate had used on him earlier and she blushed a little, letting David up once he had caught his breath. I found myself thinking about Curtis tickling me to get me out of bed and gave a small involuntary sigh. Apparently Tyler heard me, as I was treated to a small half grin and a knowingly raised eyebrow. "Why don't we have a break before the next one?"
"Do none of you people have any stamina?" David wanted to know.
"Get a life, David." Tyler settled back down into a chair, separate from Lynne ( I could not help but note) and took a long, slow drink from his glass, resting his head and closing his eyes with a sigh. Silence settled over the room, once again his word appeared to be law for people like David. Not that I was doing much defying of him either.
"So how's Curtis feeling?" Kate asked me quietly with a look of concern on her face.
"He's a lot better today, still sore though." I answered as simply as I could.
"Yeah?"
"Yup. And I think he's kinda embarrassed about it all."
"Figures." She sighed.
"Yeah. He sort of blames himself."
"How long is he staying with you?"
"Until Lois lets him go!" I joked.
"But I bet he wants out fast, right?"
"He's very independent. I guess." I must have had an odd expression on my face, because it prompted an interruption from David who had been listening to the exchange in silence.
"So what's the deal with you and Reid?" David turned towards me, stressing 'deal', and earning himself a scowl from Tyler. He looked like he was about to say something more, but I beat him to it, I had been sort of expecting this line of questioning after all.
"Like I said, he's a helluva conversationalist. Once you break the ice." I grinned at David who snorted a laugh back at me. I think he got the message that this conversation was not going to continue if I didn't want it to, but he looked as though he'd be happy to resume it later when there was nobody to disapprove of his questioning.
"Okay. Fine. I'll drop it. So what next? 'The Man in Lincoln's Nose'?"
"What?" I had no idea what he was talking about.
"Early title for 'North by Northwest', you Philistine."
"Freak!" Tyler and I said as one and the atmosphere in the room relaxed, the tension being broken by the loud chorus of laughter that ensued.
"Whatever." David muttered.
The rest of our little 'Hitchcock-fest' passed uneventfully. I was much more impressed with the second movie than with the first, and Tyler and Lynne kept their hands off each other the whole time - so no annoying distractions. Finally, though, it was time to go home, and back to Curtis who I was now, at least mentally, referring to as 'my boyfriend'.
"Okay, guys. Two in a row is my limit." I said pushing myself to my feet.
"Yeah. So I heard." David joked. I grabbed a cushion from the couch and set about him with it until he begged for mercy. "Okay! Okay! I submit! Jeez. Some people."
"You're sorry?" I asked.
"Yes already!"
"Say it!" I brandished the cushion threateningly at his prostrate form and waited for the magic words.
"I'm sorry." David finally said after a pause, easing himself back to his feet.
"For what?" He wasn't getting off that easily.
"That you're such a pussy!" And he bolted up the stairs, I chased after him, still wielding the cushion and to cries of encouragement from the others. When I caught up with him in the hallway he cowered in mock terror by the door and I had to laugh.
"Don't hurt me!" He whined.
"Okay, buddy. I forgive you." I said, handing him the cushion. "And now, I really have to get going."
"Okay, Drew. And listen, I'm sorry about earlier. It's none of my business." He became suddenly serious, laying his hand on my arm and looking at me very intently.
"No. That's all right."
"I hope everything works out for you guys, and I really mean that. Okay?" I was slightly taken aback - and my first thought was that Tyler had betrayed our confidence after all. My surprise must have registered on my face because David continued to speak. "Don't look so surprised, dude. I've known Kate and her brother since the dawn of time, and I'm cool with the whole gay thing."
"Gay thing?" I heard myself say.
"Sure."
"Right." I couldn't think of anything else to say at that point, so I fell back on repeating what I'd already said. "I gotta go."
"Chill. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Not even Tyler." He gave me a broad, reassuring grin as I mentally processed his words - he actually thought nobody else knew and that he was helping me out by keeping a secret from Tyler!
"He knows."
"He does?" It was David's turn to be surprised. "Wow. How'd he take it?"
"Fine. Guess he's cool with the 'gay thing' too." Suddenly, I was enjoying his discomfiture a bit too much, I know, but wouldn't you have?
"Wow." He said again. "How'd you tell him?"
"I didn't, he worked it out."
"Tyler?" The incredulity in David's tone was obvious, it was clear that a lot of people around here liked the guy but had no respect for his intellect. I felt it was my duty to defend him.
"Yup. Don't underestimate him, he's not as dumb as everyone thinks."
"I know. But he's never struck me as Mr. Perceptive. Wow."
"That's the third time you've said that. And now, I really am gonna go home."
"That's the third time YOU'VE said that!" He had me on that one, no denying it, but I had a comeback.
"David, you sound like you're flirting, man!"
"Fuck you!" He laughed.
"Now you REALLY sound like you're flirting." And with those words and the look of open-mouthed horror on his face I opened the front door and headed for my car. He was still standing staring after me when I got to the end of the path, so I sketched a little bow before getting in. He flipped me the bird and closed the door, and I drove home with an odd feeling of smug self-satisfaction. Not to mention a real feeling of happiness at what a great group of friends I had found here. And one in particular.
TO BE CONTINUED... ==================