Wayne and I

This is a story involving sex and romance between adult males. If such material is not to your taste or if it is not legal for you to view it wherever you are, please leave now. All characters are over the age of eighteen. This story and its characters are fictitious and resemblance to real individuals is coincidental.

Wayne and I

Wayne didn't seem to give the trial much thought for a while. He went back to work, which helped him to get back to some kind of normality. Better still, one of the junior chefs had decided the job wasn't for him and quit whilst Wayne was away. On his first day back he was summoned for a meeting with the restaurant's owner and told that the head chef thought he was good enough to be taken on as a trainee. It was still part-time for now, but with a promise of full-time hours when they were available and he was fully recovered, and it was better paid and came with day release for college courses. Wayne was overjoyed. He threw himself into it wholeheartedly, spending hours practising skills he'd learned at work or college, and insisting on preparing every meal he could either at home or my place. It was wonderful to see him doing so well at something he was passionate about, and anyway, even though his attempts at pushing his skills with new dishes sometimes didn't work out as well as he hoped, the meals he cooked for Suzy and I were invariably delicious.

Head chef tells me I'm the best trainee e's ever ad,' he said proudly one evening, as he served us with the casserole that had been wafting a mouth-watering smell round the house for the last couple of hours. They're gonna tek me on full-time next month, when we get back from `olidays. There y'are ... bit too much paprika in this I think but s'okay.'

Too much paprika?!' I laughed. Ooh that's terrible! Such a perfectionist, you are.'

`Gotta be, ain't I?' he said defensively, then blushed as he realised I was teasing him.

God only knows where you learned to cook like this,' put in Suzy. I know I didn't teach you! Oh well done though, love. That's great news.'

Isn't it,' I said, raising my glass to him. You're brilliant, and I'm proud of you. And this is properly delicious as well.'

He was beaming from ear to ear as we all touched glasses, and he caught my eye, leaned over and kissed me on the lips.

`You two are such a sweet couple,' laughed Suzy. 'And 'e's right too: this is gorgeous, this casserole!'

Later, after she'd gone home, we settled on the sofa with a cup of tea. Wayne was still on a high about being taken on full time, and he was full of plans and ideas about things he wanted to try in the kitchen. Then he looked suddenly thoughtful.

`I dunno what prison food's like,' he mused.

`Shit, by all accounts. I had a mate who did three months a few years ago, and he said it was bloody awful.'

Yeah, that don't surprise me. Wonder ow Daz an' all that are getting on.'

`Do you care?'

`Not really, I s'pose. They ain't my problem now. I got me own stuff to get on with!'

`Y'know ... I can't help thinking you're handling this incredibly well. If I'd been beaten up like that it'd destroy me, I'd be scared of going out of the house, probably, but it doesn't seem to bother you.'

Hmm, maybe,' he said thoughtfully. I jus' don't think about it really. Thing is, if it'd ave been a bunch o' strangers give me a kicking in the street then it'd ave been a lot worse some'ow. I'd be real nervous about bein' out an' about, I reckon, like I was a bit just after it appened. But this way ... well, I know who did it an' I've some idea why, so I don't feel like I need worry about it appening again.'

`Yeah, that makes sense. Even so, it was a properly horrible thing to happen, and I reckon you've dealt with it really well.'

You just gotta get on wi' life, aven't you? Like I said back in ospital, I don't wanna stress about it, or about them. I jus' wanna put it behind me. Actually, though, one thing I do feel like I wanna do is go back to where it appened.'

`Do you? Why's that? To prove you can...?'

`Aye, summat like that. Jus' to show to meself that I'm not gonna be scared even there. Not only cos of them, like. Joe lives up that way too.'

`Rough part of town, that...'

Aye, it is. Strange to think ow much time I used to spend up there, an' now ... well, I got no call to go there. But I want to anyway, jus' to mek sure that I can, you see?'

`We could get the bus up there now if you like?'

Nah, not this evening.' He shot me a slightly edgy look. Anyway, I wanna ... I wanna go on my own. Not cos I don't want you with me but cos it's like ... facing up to me own past, if you see what I mean?'

`I think so...'

It's like ... closure, innit, is what they say. Puttin' that part o' life completely behind me, and that's mainly life before I met you. We'll go together another time if you really want!' He laughed, cynically. Not that there's owt up there for either of us. Any'ow, now that I've said it, I'm finishin' work at 5 tomorrow so I reckon I'm gonna get bus up there after an' `ave a walk round.'

`Fair enough. Want me to cook tea tomorrow night, in that case?'

`Aye, why not. I'll be back about 7 probably.'

He was. He arrived at my place in a philosophical mood, saying that he'd been a bit more nervous than he'd expected when he arrived, but that once he'd walked around some of the areas where he used to hang out, and right past the house where he'd been assaulted, now standing empty and boarded up, he felt strangely better.

Feels like it's over, some'ow,' he remarked, putting his tea mug down. Jus' the trial to get out the way now. Any' ow, what you makin' for tea? Smells nice...'

I grinned inwardly. I had nothing but respect for his courage in facing up to things, or the way he hid it behind a façade of breezy common sense. I wondered how he saw it.

Work served to take his mind off the upcoming trial, too, even when he had a meeting with the prosecution barrister, a Mr Ford, to talk through his evidence. I'd have gone too, but as luck would have it I had to go to London.

'E's a nice guy,' Wayne said when he came round the next day. Quite posh, like.'

`Barristers usually are!'

Yeah, well, e asked me a load of stuff about how long I'd known em all, ow much I used to see em, and so on. Said summat about ow e has to make clear we weren't real friends by the time it appened, like. Asked me a load about drugs, an' all.'

`Did he? Such as what?'

Oh, just do I tek em, an' all that. E tells me there's someone from the ospital gonna talk about my injuries an' say there was nowt in me that showed up on the blood tests they did: drugs, like.'

`Ah. That sounds as if he's expecting the defence to try and suggest you were buying drugs and he's trying to head that one off.'

`You reckon they'll say that?'

`Maybe. Defence barristers fight dirty sometimes. No, don't worry about it, though. Sounds like your Mr Ford has got it pretty well covered. By the way, I had a thought. Did you tell him you're gay?'

Nah, didn't say owt about it, an' e didn't ask, when I said they call me a poof. Didn't mention you either, come to think of it. Should I `ave?'

`Hmm, not sure. Probably not. I mean, if they knew you were gay they might be able to try the "gay panic" line, that you came onto them and they panicked, but they didn't know, did they, so it's probably not relevant. Oh well, we'll just have to see what happens.'

Aye,' he said philosophically, taking a sip of his tea. "Gay panic," eh? Can they really say that?!'

`I think they still can. It's certainly been used as a defence in the past and as far as I know it can still be used, although it probably wouldn't work these days.'

So ... well, ang on, if a gay guy gets beaten up the cunt who did it can get off just by sayin' e panicked when the gay lad tried to chat im up?'

`Pretty much, yeah. Or they used to be able to, so long as there were no witnesses who'd tell a different story.'

`That's fookin' stupid.'

`Yes, but it used to happen. Just like you could be locked up or forced to have treatment for being gay. Alan Turing, you've heard of him, yeah? Well, he got done for gay sex in the 1950s and was forced to have hormone treatment that made him grow tits. He killed himself. It's easy to forget how lucky we are living now. It's not perfect, but it's so much better than it was.'

Aye, you ain't wrong. Wonder ow many guys my age even know about it. Any'ow, "gay panic."' He grinned slyly. What appens when one gay guy comes onto another, then...?'

`This one doesn't panic. Mmm, come here you.'

As the trial drew nearer Wayne began to get nervous about it, and I began to worry too. For all that Ford had said I wasn't sure if he really appreciated what was going to happen in the courtroom, and I wondered how he'd cope with a defence barrister trying to cast him as a liar. Worse was the prospect that someone might try and threaten him out of testifying at all. After all, at least two of the defendants knew exactly where he lived, and they knew people who might well be prepared to go round and warn him off. It might not do them much good – they were going to go down with or without his evidence and they may well have known it – but that didn't mean they wouldn't try it all the same. I fretted and wondered what to do for the best, trying to steer a course between reassuring Wayne and steeling him for the ordeal to come. I raised the prospect of intimidation quietly with Suzy, when I popped round to their house to find he'd gone to the shops.

I know,' she said. Worries me too. They all know where we live an' some o' them are proper nasty lads. I always did worry about Wayne hanging about with em, even when he was at school. Couple of em I wouldn't ave in the ouse even then, an' now, with what they're into an' who they know... I did ask that witness liaison officer fella about it and he said they don't think owt's gonna happen, but I'm not so sure.'

Maybe the easiest solution would be to move Wayne into my place until it's all over, cos they don't know about me – I don't think – and they don't know my house,' I mused. `Trouble is, if I suggest that he's going to ask why, and the answer may scare him out of giving evidence at all.'

We agreed to do nothing for the time being and say nothing to him, but that at the first sign of anything happening we'd get him to my place as fast as possible. I did point out to Suzy that that left her and Jade at risk, but she shrugged and said he had to testify and it was a risk she had to run. Yet again, though, I'd underestimated Wayne. We got talking about the trial over a drink in the pub a couple of days later.

I'm scared,' he said. What if they try an' get at me before the trial? Daz and that ... they know where I live an' they know it's just me an' me mam an' Jade...'

`And Joe? They don't know he's gone do they?'

Dunno, but e'd be useless anyhow, fookin' alkie. What if they send someone round? I don't wanna get shit kicked out o' me again...' His lip trembled a bit. `I ... I don't wanna do this.'

Look,' I said. The trial's only a week away now. I reckon if anything was going to happen, it would have done by now. But if you're worried, you could move into my place until it's over.'

No.' He shook his head firmly. I'm not leavin' mam an' Jade on their own.'

`I must admit, she has mentioned this to me, and we did discuss the idea of you coming to mine.'

`No. I don't care. I'm not leavin' her.'

But no-one's going to touch her if you're not there, are they?' I said, wishing I believed it. It's you they'd be after.'

`Don't matter. I ain't letting her risk that without me bein' there. Why ... well, how about you come to us instead?'

I really respected him then; his loyalty and his refusal to run away and leave his loved ones to face anything that may happen alone. But then, as I contemplated moving into harm's way with them and saw for the first time a risk to myself, I also came to realise suddenly how he felt and why he was reluctant to take the risk at all. Maybe he saw it in my expression.

Now d'you get it?' he said acidly. Easy for you to say I should tek the risk an' go to court, but feels different when it's your face that might get caved in, don't it?'

I nodded. For once I didn't know what to say, although what I ought to do was becoming clear in my mind.

`So, what are we gonna do then?'

You're right,' I said slowly. I've no right to sit here and tell you to take the risk, have I? Not if I won't do it myself. Okay then, yes, if your mum agrees then I'll come to yours until it's all over. Come on, let's go back and talk to her about it.'

Back at his place the three of us settled down with a drink and chewed over the situation.

`Easiest if I say I'm not gonna give evidence at all, ain't it,' Wayne said awkwardly.

Suzy rounded on him.

Don't be daft. Look, them bastards put you in hospital, an' it's lucky you ain't brain-damaged or blind or worse. They're scum and they're dangerous, and they need you to put em away. Nowt's happened yet and probably won't, so let's just not worry about it til we `ave to, eh?'

`But... there's what's gonna happen in court ... them bein' there ... all them questions. I don't wanna do that either.'

Look,' I put in. Once you're in there there's nothing they can do. They're in the dock with prison officers. As for the cross-examination, well, court's a game that the barristers play for the benefit of judge and jury. I've seen it happen before, you know, that time I told you about. It's a performance. The one you have to watch is the defence barrister, who'll be trying to trip you up. But you're telling the absolute truth, so just stick to it, and what you said when you gave the police a statement in hospital, and you'll be fine. They all know the game that's being played.'

But e's gonna try an' call me a liar, ain't e? E's gonna say I went round there to score drugs or summat. That's what you an' Ford reckon.'

Yes, he might say that. But you weren't, and all you can do is insist you weren't, and tell em the truth about what's gone on before if they get onto that. Seriously, you're not to blame for any of it and the court will see that. Aside from anything else, they're going to know what those bastards did to you before they see you, because the first people to give evidence will be the coppers who found you, and the jury will probably get all the info from the hospital in those packs they give them before the trial anyway. Plus, before it gets to the defence barrister Ford will have helped you tell your side of the story, and he sounds as if he knows what he's doing. Seriously, you're not gonna be on your own. You really don't have anything to worry about,' I finished, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

Oh I dunno,' he said, confused and unhappy. I just wish this wasn't `appening. Come on, shall we go to bed?'

There was no point pressing him any further then, so we went to bed. He was restless, waking up a couple of times at noises in the street outside. Lying awake in the early hours after he'd gone back to sleep I just wished it was all over. For all that he burrowed into my arms as if for some kind of protection, he must have known I'd be hopeless in a fight, and I couldn't tell him that I was almost as afraid as he was.

If there was going to be any trouble I'd have most expected it in the few days leading up to the trial's opening, but nothing untoward had happened by the afternoon of that Monday. By then I had a sense of being on the last lap: a few more days and it would all be over, one way or another. I took him into town to pick a suit for his appearance the next day.

After all,' I pointed out. You've been saying for ages you want one, and you may as well look your best in court. All helps to make a good impression. You looking like the smart young professional, and them in ... well, whatever they're going to be in.'

He grinned in boyish delight as he came out of the fitting room and inspected himself in the mirror.

`Wow, don't you look fantastic!'

I meant it too. The suit showed off his pert body to perfection, especially when he struck a pose, hand on hip and bottom sticking out discreetly, and shot me a gaze with smouldering eyes.

`You like a man in a suit, don't you?'

Yes! Oh fuck yes I like a man in a suit. You look stunning ... just edible! Gonna be hard to keep my hands off you!' I came closer and dropped my voice. Just you wait til I get you home in that. I'd love to tear it off you ... whip your trousers down, pull up your shirt tails, bend you over and fuck you senseless. Mmm, I'll do you over the kitchen table til you squeal like...'

Stop it!' he hissed. You're givin' me a hard-on!'

The sales girl came fussing over at that moment and we both burst out laughing. She looked puzzled and neither of us thought it was a good idea to enlighten her, so Wayne went and changed back into his jeans whilst she folded and bagged up the suit, shirt, tie and shoes, and then we went off for a cup of coffee.

What if they get off?' he said suddenly. He'd not mentioned the trial all day, and whilst we were shopping he'd seemed relaxed, but now it was back at the front of his mind again and he was worried. What if they get off? What then? They'll come for me, I know they will. They ain't gonna forgive me for grassin' on `em.'

They're not going to,' I said flatly. I know they're pleading not guilty to everything – and God only knows what defence they're going to try; blaming each other, probably – but it's going to be bloody hard to show that they weren't the ones who beat you up when there's a witness who saw them do it, and Daz and Nick will have a very hard job explaining why all the smack and shit in the house had nothing to do with them. Look, one thing at a time, eh? Let's get through the court case and then deal with anything else afterwards.'

That seemed to mollify him a bit, but he was on edge for the rest of the day. Suzy and I took him out for dinner that evening. Normally he'd have been in his element, casting his eyes over everything and making comments on the place and the food like the expert he was starting to fancy himself as, but instead he sat glumly, staring into his plate and trying not to meet our eyes. He said almost nothing when we got home either, and even when he and I went upstairs it was as awkward as if we'd had an argument.

Wayne,' I said softly as he got ready for bed. Look, I know you're worried...'

No you don't,' he snapped, turning on me angrily. You don't! You got no idea ow I feel now, ave you?'

`Well...'

`No, you really fookin' don't! I'm scared – course I'm scared – but ... but...'

But what?' I asked, as gently as I could. Is there more?'

`Course there's fookin' more!' he shouted.

`Well what then?!'

`Fook's sake! Isn't it ... don't you get it ... oh I don't understand it. Not any of it.'

His voice cracked, his shoulders sagged and his eyes filled with tears. He slumped down onto the bed and sank his head in his hands.

They were me mates,' he said softly, his voice breaking a little. Why ... how can all this shit happen? They weren't bad lads...'

I went to put an arm round him, but he shook it away.

`Don't. Look, Marcus, I know you only wanna help, but this ain't just about smack, or them beatin' me up. Not for me.'

`Well, what is it is about then?'

`Everythin' ... everythin' I grew up with. See ... seein' them lads ... good lads really ... turn into that. Breaks my heart, an' ... an' I feel like it's my fault.'

`But it isn't, though. None of it is. How could it be?'

It's ... like I could've done summat to stop it appenin'. Like I were a bad friend to `em.'

`Oh Wayne. Look, there really isn't anything you could've done, is there? I mean, you were in pretty much exactly the same position as them a few months back, weren't you. You said to them a couple of times that you were worried about them; you tried to talk them out of things, and they didn't listen. What more could you have done than that?'

But ... I stopped tryin' when I stopped seein' em much, didn't I? Maybe if I'd tried a bit harder to stay in touch with em ... it might'a done some good ... now look what's happened to em.'

`But ... do you not think it might not have been too late by then? And anyway, you said to me months ago you were scared of Daz. If you'd tried any harder do you not think they might not have turned on you sooner – or just told you to fuck off?'

He lifted his head, tears trickling down his cheeks.

Yeah ... probably,' he said in a hoarse whisper. Best if they ad just told me to fook off though. Then none o' this would be appening now.'

`Well, you can't know what would have happened, can you? They might have told you where to go, or it might have been worse. As bad as it eventually was, even. Seriously, there's no reason for you to reproach yourself over any of this. Sure, it's very easy to end up getting into drugs and all that when there's no work about and not much hope, but in the end it's also about choice. Like I said, you were in the same situation as them, but you've made different choices. You're not wrong they're victims too in many ways, but they're also responsible for their own actions. Not you. And there's no excusing what they did to you.'

`Well, maybe yeah. But I still feel so ... guilty.'

He buried his head back in his hands again. I slipped an arm around his shoulder. He didn't resist this time.

`Wayne, you've amazed me since all this happened, you know?'

He looked up between his fingers and sniffed loudly, his eyes all big and shiny and tearful.

`Really, you have. For one, you're so brave about it all, but more important than that, you're so forgiving. The fact you can still see their side of it, even after what they did to you ... well, that says a lot about you as a person; what a special, lovely, kind-hearted guy you are. I really, really respect you for that. You're a better person than I could ever be.'

`Oh...'

He gave up trying to talk. Very slowly I took him in my arms and buried my face in his soft, sweet-smelling hair, and we held one another for a long, long time, until his tears had subsided.

`I'm sorry,' he whispered.

`For what?'

`Gettin' angry wi' you then. You're ... I couldn't 'ave got through all this without you.'

`Maybe, but you might not be in this position to start with if it wasn't for me. Oh Wayne, sweetheart, it's okay. Shout all you want if it helps. But not now, eh? Come on, let's get some sleep.'

Only a few hours later we were in the witnesses' waiting room. Wayne had barely slept at all, tossing and turning fitfully for most of the night, and now he looked lined and pale and weary. I'd lost count of the number of times he'd been to the toilet that morning. His hands were shaking, and he was pacing anxiously up and down and fiddling with his tie as he awaited his call. Suddenly he spun round to me, trembling all over again.

`I can't ... I'm so scared. Marcus, I don't think I can do it.'

He looked on the verge of tears. I stood up and took him in my arms, and he clung to me like a drowning man to a rock.

`You can. You know you can. All you have to do is go in there and tell the truth, and you're free of them. Forever.'

But ... I still gotta see em.'

`Not for long. An hour, if that, and it'll be over. Then you walk away.'

`You sure?'

`Well, as sure as I can be. I honestly can't believe that any of them is going to get away with it, and smack dealing and GBH are serious things to be landed with. If they don't do a lot of time I'll be amazed. Is that good enough?'

`Er... I s'pose. I'm shit scared though.'

`I know. It's only natural you're scared about it. You gonna do it, though?'

He nodded resignedly, but he still looked uncertain. I stroked his neck and ruffled his hair gently as he rested his head on my shoulder.

`Look, it's all going to be okay. I know it's difficult, and you're being incredibly brave doing this. It's so important that...'

Wayne?' The usher poked her head round the door. They're ready for you now. Are you going into the public gallery?' she asked, addressing me.

`Yes, I will do; just a second. Now, Wayne, it's gonna be fine, eh? I've got every confidence in you. Remember, whatever happens, I love you.'

He managed a wan smile, and as the usher looked on awkwardly I kissed his lips. Then he took a deep breath and we followed her into the courtroom.

I couldn't help but scan the dock as I walked in and took my seat next to Suzy. Three tough-looking lads sat there, all about Wayne's age, wearing expressions ranging from blank to defiant. He didn't even look at them as the usher led him to the witness stand and handed him the card with the oath. We'd had a long talk about faith not long before. I was brought up a Christian but ended up as a sceptic, whereas Wayne had only been to church a few times in his life but believed in God quite strongly, and he'd been determined to take the Christian oath. Now he stood with his hand on the Bible, and only a slight tremor in his voice as he swore before Almighty God to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I noticed a couple of the jury looking him up and down, and then looking back to something in their papers; probably comparing the bloodied mess he'd been reduced to with how he stood before them now. One of the jurors, a blonde girl in her twenties, was making doe eyes at him, I noticed with wry amusement.

As soon as the cross-examination began I realised that Ford knew his business. He was a portly, kindly-looking man and his tone was authoritative but encouraging as he took Wayne steadily through his statement. He made Wayne take the court through the events of that awful day, picking him up gently on a couple of points he wanted to emphasise, making the best use he could of what Wayne had told him. Wayne's confidence grew as he did so: he seemed to stand taller and his voice grew firmer as he described going round to the house and what he had found there. At that moment Ford stopped him and asked him to explain why he'd gone, using this as a starting point to get Wayne to chart how he and the defendants had drifted apart over time, and how as he realised they had less and less in common they'd spent steadily less time together. Specially in the last few months I'd stopped seein' em much at all,' Wayne finished.

`And why was that? You've clarified you don't and never have taken drugs. Was it their lifestyles only that stopped you seeing them?'

No, not just that. We was ... I just didn't have owt to say to em any more. Then I started workin' of course, an' I met me boyfriend an' started spendin' time with `im.'

Whether someone in the dock thumped the bench in front of them at the revelation or someone only dropped something accidentally we never knew, but the timing was perfect. The whole court looked round, just in time to see the look on the defendants' faces. Even Wayne looked round, realising that without thinking he'd dropped a bombshell. Then he looked away again quickly, his face impassive. The blonde lass looked disappointed, almost comically so.

So e's a fookin' poof,' said someone audibly from the dock.

`And do you believe your sexuality was a reason for the assault on you?' asked Ford, evidently thinking quickly.

No. They didn't know. I ... I could never ave told `em I were gay.'

`So might this be another reason why you had drifted apart from them?'

Er ... aye, I mean, yes, must've been, now you put it like that. I were always scared of em findin' out.'

His point neatly made Ford moved on, quietly emphasising how little Wayne, whom according to the local paper he was to describe in his summing-up as `a hard-working young chef of great promise,' now had in common with the defendants in the dock, but how he'd still had some residual ties of friendship to them. Wayne almost smiled as Ford thanked him for his evidence and sat down.

Then the bit we were dreading. The defence barrister was a grim, hard-faced woman who stood up and immediately accused him of lying.

You have claimed,' she said, never to have taken drugs. Yet you went to visit associates you say you believed to be drug dealers. Why did you do this? Could it be the case that the gang of Polish men you say they referred to never existed, and if in fact someone did owe them money it was you?'

I drew breath. Wayne's response could make or break him as a witness, and he no doubt knew it. His face was completely blank as he took in the question. Then his expression hardened. Knowing him as I did I realised he was insulted by the suggestion, even though he knew it would probably come, and I hoped momentarily that he wouldn't show it. I realised as soon as he opened his mouth that I'd underestimated him yet again.

No,' he said firmly. That ain't true. I don't tek drugs and I didn't owe em owt. Like I said before, I went because they were me old mates an' I hadn't seen em in ages.'

She tried again, insinuating that since he'd gone to see the defendants he must have been lying about having drifted apart from them, but he stuck doggedly to his statement, reiterating how he had spent less and less time with them, pointing out that he was growin' up an' meetin' new people like folk my age do,' and adding a few slightly vague figures about how much of his time he spent at work and with me. I'd always known he was no-one's fool, and now I watched with deepening respect as he stood his ground, dignified and calm, almost dismissive of the slights on his honesty. Realising she was getting nowhere, she changed tack and started questioning his memory. It was, as she pointed out, his word against theirs as to what had happened inside the house. Was he sure he could remember clearly what had been said, and by whom? Again he stood his ground, repeating almost word for word his previous accounts, and right at the end he was quick-thinking enough to bat aside a sudden suggestion that his own abusive attitude had provoked the incident by pointing out that he'd already been subjected to a load o' verbal' by the time he finally lost his patience and told Daz to mind his own business. Finally she thanked him frostily and sat down. By then it was after midday, and the judge adjourned the hearing for lunch. Wayne came straight over.

`How'd I do?' he asked, looking slightly pensive.

`You were brilliant! She must be well pissed off about that ... all those questions trying to catch you out and you didn't trip up once!'

Hmm.' He smiled bleakly. Didn't enjoy it, that woman callin' me a liar to me face, an' them all lookin' at me like I'm shit or summat. What `appens now? More prosecution witnesses, innit?'

`Yup. We can stay for the rest of the day if you want. The bloke who saw you being attacked and called the police is up next, I think. Didn't Ford say someone from the hospital is going to testify about the state of your injuries as well?'

Aye, I think so. But no, I don't wanna stay. Seen enough. It's really hard bein' in the room with em all, an' Daz's dad's over there, givin' me dirty looks like it's all my fault. Let's go `ave summat to eat.'

I'd have liked to sit through the rest of the day and hear what was going to be said, and to come back for defence witnesses the next, but if Wayne didn't want to there was no help for it. Just as we were getting ready to go one of the police officers who'd found him and arrested the others, a pleasant young woman constable, came over and said hello, and that she was glad to see him fully recovered. Ford came over as well and shook his hand.

Well done young man,' he said rather pompously. You handled that very well.'

Wayne smiled coyly and thanked them both, and then we wandered off into town and went to a pub for some lunch. He ate heartily, laughing about the reaction when he'd let slip he was gay.

`They really weren't expecting that,' I remarked.

No ... but did you ear Daz? "Fookin' poof" e said.' His face grew serious. Good job `e never knew that before, innit?'

`Yes, it is. And it's a good job he's almost certainly going to be inside for quite a long time! Saying that in court won't have done him any favours at all either.'

Suzy had to go and meet Jade at that point but Wayne and I stayed for another drink, talking quietly in the corner.

Y'know, I don't feel guilty now,' he said suddenly. Like ... what I were sayin' last night about feelin' bad for the lads. Now I seen them again, an' seen ow they can look at me even after they did that to me ... I couldn't care less what appens to em now. Fook em. Anyhow, free of `em now, aren't I?'

`Yup. Feel better about it?'

`Yeah. An' ... an' thank you for everythin'. You bin wonderful. I couldn't'a' done this without you.'

He fingered his half-empty glass and shot me a look under lowered brows, the scar under his left eye strangely vivid in the yellow light. All of a sudden he looked very intense again, his face pale and his lips very red. He was so beautiful, and so incredibly horny. A slow, sexy smile spread across his face.

`Y'know what you said about men in suits...?'

`What, that I wanna take you home, pull your pants down and bend you over?'

Yeah, that. An' you wanna do me up the bum real ard wi' me shirt up an' me pants round me ankles...'

`Oh I do ... Nursing a semi now at the thought of that!'

`Come on then, let's go.'

The bus ride home seemed to happen in slow motion, a haze of anticipation that exploded into a passionate blur as we got into the house. Pushing him back against the hallway wall we kissed so hard it hurt, and I undid his belt as we slid along to the living room door, him fumbling in his pocket for the Vaseline he was carrying. His trousers fell to his ankles and I ripped down his boxers to follow them as he turned and knelt on the sofa, so that his bare bottom winked invitingly at me from under his shirt and jacket. He reached through his legs and daubed the lube on his hole even as I dropped my pants and advanced on him, lifted up his shirt tails and pushed my cock hard up his bum.

Ow! Oh God that's good! Do it to me ard ... make it hurt ... fook me ... cum in me ... oh, oh!'

I shot my load deep inside him, turned him round and sucked him until he came down my throat. It was only later, as we changed back into jeans and t-shirts after we'd had a long, cuddly, post-fuck shower, that I remembered there was still a court case going on.

`Bet no-one in court can imagine what we've just done,' I chuckled.

Bloody ell, yeah ... Ford an' that defence woman ... just see their faces!' He doubled over laughing.

Three days later, on the Friday afternoon, we were sitting at my house when his phone rang. From what little I could hear the voice on the end of the line sounded official, and a slow smile spread over his face. As he put the phone down he turned to me.

Guilty,' he said, grinning broadly. All of em, on everything. They all try to blame each other, so e says, an' it didn't work. Gonna be sentenced next week, an' the judge as told em all they can expect a long time in prison. Seven or eight years, that feller who phoned reckons, for Daz an' Nick anyhow. So, that's the end of it!'

We went out that night, to a restaurant and then a comedy at one of the theatres in town. I'm not a big theatre-goer and Wayne still less, but we both enjoyed ourselves hugely. Afterwards we hopped on a bus back to the avenue for a few drinks in the places we'd had to avoid back in the days when our relationship was a secret and Wayne lived in fear. Now we could be together openly, and on that wonderful evening neither of us cared who saw it. We walked home to my place later that evening hand in hand.

I had to go to London the following week, to tie up a few loose ends at work before we went on holiday. Normally I stayed with friends, but Wayne had a bit of leave to use up at work and he'd only been to London a few times, so I booked us a room at a hotel in Greenwich. I had to work all day on the Monday so I was booked on the early train: he had to work that day too, but he'd join me in London on the Tuesday, so we could have a couple of days together there before heading back up north.

I was deep asleep when the alarm clock bleeped loudly at five on the Monday morning. Groggily I rolled over and hit the snooze button. Wayne stirred next to me and snuggled in close, still more than half asleep with his eyes closed as he put an arm round me and nuzzled his face into my chest. I kissed his forehead and cuddled him as I dozed off again, wishing that I could lie there with him for a bit longer. Then the alarm clock shrilled again.

`Wayne, sweetheart, I gotta get up.'

`Mmm.'

He lifted his face up for a sleepy kiss as I extricated myself reluctantly from his arms, got out of bed and padded downstairs for a shower. He was asleep again when I got back, snoring lightly, and as I dressed I cast a fond look down at him. I loved how peaceful he looked when he was sleeping. As I threw a few last things into my bag he turned over and opened his eyes.

`You gorra go now?' he asked blearily.

`In a bit, yeah. Just gonna have a bit of breakfast first.'

`Mmm, I'll come down.'

`You don't have to. You must be knackered after working so much over the weekend. Stay here sweetie, and have a good lie-in. I'll see you in London tomorrow evening.'

Oh ... yeah,' he yawned. Yeah. Come an' give us a kiss though.'

I thought back on him fondly as I sat on the train, sipping coffee and watching the estuary and the countryside sliding past the window. He had to be at work for lunchtime, but I hoped he'd have a decent sleep beforehand, for he'd looked terribly tired when he got back from work the night before. Between that and the trial he'd certainly earned a good holiday. It'd be nice to spend a couple of days in London with him too. Having lived there for a few years I knew it quite well, and even though I didn't like the place it'd still be fun showing him round. He texted me that afternoon when I was in the office, saying he'd locked the house up securely (I was always fastidious about that) and was going to sleep at home that night when he finished work, before getting the afternoon train to London the day after. I'd easily have finished everything I had to get done by then.

Late the following afternoon found me standing on the concourse at the terminus, slightly back from the crowd pouring through the ticket barriers, as his train arrived nearly an hour late. Then I spotted him, bag slung over his shoulder, looking faintly harassed as he fought his way through the scrum. He smiled and waved as he saw me.

Can't believe you do that journey every week,' he grinned. Fookin' nightmare that was!'

`What happened? How come you're so late?'

Oh, summat to do wi' signals I think. We stop dead for half an hour or so, an' then was creepin' along for miles. It was real crowded an' all, an' the old bloke sittin' next to me needed a bath. Ugh! Oh well, I'm ere now. We goin' straight to the `otel?'

`Nah, it's rush hour and the tube will be horrible. Let's go and have a drink first. Tell you what, shall we walk down to Soho? Think you'll like it down there.'

`That's the gay bit, innit? Aye, let's do that.'

Wayne looked around him with interest as we ambled down through Bloomsbury and into Soho, and as we hit Old Compton Street his eyes lit up. A couple of lads walked past holding hands. He watched them go, and then grinned as I slipped an arm round his waist and slid my hand into the back pocket of his jeans. I fondled his bum affectionately as we walked down the crowded street together.

Busy round ere, innit?'

`Always is! No matter, I know a place where we should be able to get a seat.'

I was right, and we settled in the corner of the pub with our drinks, casting a wry eye over the crowd. He took a sip of beer and turned to me with a quizzical look.

I don't get it,' he said. You're always sayin' you hated livin' in London, but don't you miss all this?'

`What, Soho? Yeah, occasionally, but London isn't all like this. It's got its good bits – Greenwich, where we're staying, is nice – but a lot of it's pretty awful, and it's so expensive.'

Mmm, maybe. Looks alright to me! Would you ever move back ere?'

`Not if I can help it! Why, you think you'd like to live here?'

`Well, maybe, yeah. I mean, it all looks pretty good from where we're sittin' now.'

`Yeah, but that's you seeing it as a visitor. I used to feel the same until I lived here. London's great to visit, but trust me, the novelty wears off pretty quickly. That's what I found, anyway. I was sick of it after a few months.'

How come you stayed ere for so long, then? Five years weren't it, you lived `ere?'

`Nearly, yes. I didn't have any alternative. I had to be here if I wanted to keep my job. It was only a couple of years ago that things changed, so I could live up north and commute down a couple of days a week. Until then I spent most of the time looking for opportunities to leave!'

He looked unconvinced, and the rest of the evening didn't do anything to change his mind. We went for dinner in a smart little Italian restaurant, where he was so impressed with his risotto that he asked to see the chef and managed to charm him into giving away a couple of trade secrets.

Gonna try that at ome,' he grinned as we left. An' if it works I'm gonna see if ead chef's interested in tryin' it too. He said yesterday e wants to work up a new menu, an' e's lookin' forward to me startin' full time so we can start workin' on it together.'

`Wow! He really does rate you, doesn't he?'

Yup,' he said proudly. Didn't say that to anyone else, like, but e tell me I'm a natural an' I got real potential, an' in ten years e reckons I'll be one o' the top chefs in the area!'

`Really?! Oh Wayne, that's brilliant. You genius!'

Heh. Good, innit. Ah, we're goin' this way, are we? Charing Cross ... ow far to the `otel?'

`Oh, about five miles from here.'

`Yer what?!'

`About five miles. Come on, we've got to get a train. There'll be one in about five minutes, I think.'

We lay in late the next day. With no alarm to urge us out of bed we woke up naturally, stirring and snuggling up together, then drifting back to sleep in one another's arms, with our legs entwined and my face in his sweet-smelling hair. When I woke up again the first thing I felt was his cock, his morning glory rising against my leg, and then his lips sleepily searching out mine. Then we were kissing deeply, tongues caressing one another and fingers stroking necks and ears and cheeks. He sighed in his throat as I ran my hand down his tummy and began to wank him slowly, then threw the covers back off us and rolled him on his back to do it harder. He pulled me down on top of him for a kiss, ran his tongue down over me and began sucking my cock, pushed me over on my back and parted my legs so he could get his face between my thighs, nuzzling and licking and kissing me in all the most sensitive places until I was moaning out loud. He bobbed his head up.

You gonna fook me?' he grinned. Will you gimme it up the bum, real nice an' slow?'

`Mmm, yes, come here you. Where's that lube?'

He kissed me deeply as he smeared a bit of lube on my cock, and I reached round and daubed a little more round his hole. He gave a cute little squeak as I slipped an exploratory finger inside him and we played tongues together, flicking lightly in and out of one another's mouths as I flicked my finger in and out of his bum. Then he kissed me passionately, wriggled away a little and lay face down, with his bottom sticking out and his legs open, and his sexiest smile shining up at me. He was just irresistible. I got on top of him, massaged his bottom, ran my tongue all the way up from his crack to the back of his neck, and lay covering him, legs twisting together with his, hands entwined, my cock pressing urgently against his waiting, flaring hole. He smiled sweetly again.

`Now...'

I thrust forward and slipped my cock through his hole, pushing right inside him in one smooth, slow movement until he was completely impaled on it, with his crack full of my pubes.

`Oh ... oh yeah that's good,' he sighed.

It was lovely for me too, the feeling of being deep inside his warm, supple body, and knowing that it was giving him such pleasure. I fondled his hands in mine, pushing them in together under him, and he twisted around and kissed me yet again, looked intently into my eyes as I started to pull back, all the way until I was only just inside him, and then back in again slowly. He closed his eyes and moaned in contentment. I did it again and again and again, kissing him all over his beautiful face and licking and biting at his ears, and he sighed and squirmed and whispered how good it felt and how he loved me.

`Gonna cum sweetheart. Gonna cum soon.'

`Yes ... yes ... oh Marcus, cum in me, cum right inside me ... please ... oh! Oh yeah!'

We came right together, both clenching our teeth so as not to cry out aloud. My cock jerked and pulsed as I fired deep into him, and as his own spasms subsided he held me inside as I softened. We kissed and stroked and nuzzled as we came down off the high together, completely lost in our own little world together and loving every second of it. I slipped out of him and he turned over, sliding his arms warmly round me. He grinned impishly.

`I made a right mess of these bed sheets!' he laughed.

`Ooh yes you have, haven't you?! And you're all sticky. Heh, the chamber maid's going to know what we've been up to ... as if it matters. Shall we have a shower?'

Mmm, yeah, in a minute. Let's jus' stay ere a bit longer though ... so nice cuddling up like this.'

His lips sought out mine again, very long and tender.

`Love you,' he whispered, and rested his head on my shoulder. I stroked his hair as he dozed off again.

We got the tube over to Kensington after breakfast and spent a happy day ambling round the museums. He teased me for being old in the Science Museum, when we got to the cases of 1980s computers and gadgets that I remembered from my childhood but he'd never encountered. Back in the main hall he touched my arm discreetly as we stood before one of the steam engines.

You driven one o' these,' he grinned, remembering the photos I'd shown him of a day I spent doing just that. What's it like? And well, you say that's the brake an' that meks it go, but ... what does that do?'

He rolled his eyes in mock sarcasm as I explained what the lever he pointed out was for. Then he squinted at his programme, led me over to another old machine and started asking questions I couldn't answer about how it worked. He saw my raised eyebrow and burst out laughing.

`See, we're just as sad as each other really, aren't we?' I chuckled afterwards, as we sat with a cup of coffee in a café down the street.

Nowt wrong wi' being a bit sad,' he smiled back. Better'n `avin' no interest in owt at all, innit?'

I couldn't disagree with him there. We finished our coffee and went next door to the Natural History Museum. I'd always had a vivid memory of being taken there as a child and seeing the diplodocus skeleton in the main hall, and as we got in there he stopped.

Oh wow!' he breathed. Look at that!'

I took a photo of him staring up, face to face with the huge dinosaur, his eyes wide in wonderment and a big grin playing across his face. It came out beautifully, and somehow it seemed to capture some of the energy and curiosity and boyish enthusiasm that I loved so much about him. Later I got it printed out professionally, framed it and put it on my desk at work, where my colleagues remarked on how handsome he was.

We went out in Greenwich that evening, for a meal in a posh restaurant and then a few drinks in a pub I used to frequent when I lived in the area, down near the river.

Still don't see it,' Wayne said, sipping his pint. He looked thoughtful, even though he was smiling cheekily. I don't see what's so bad about this place, or why you hate it so much. It's not like you an' me could walk about olding ands together back ome, like we did up in Soho last night, is it? Bet the gay clubs ere are summat else too.'

`There are a lot of them, yes... Some of them are pretty good.'

Aw, Marcus, what's up? You don't look appy, love.'

`I'm just ... well, I'm a bit worried, to be honest. I mean, I'm really glad you're enjoying London and all that, but ... I don't mind being here now, you know, but the last thing I want to do is live here again, and yet you seem to be looking at it like that.'

Well, yeah, I am. You gotta remember, back ome is all I ever really known, an' this ... well, it's like a different world, innit? I look around some o' these places we been in this last couple o' days an' I wonder ow much I could earn down ere.'

`Not enough to make up for the cost of living. Remember how I said my house now costs less than a crappy little flat in a nasty bit of London...'

Yeah, but I ain't looked into it, ave I? I dunno `ow much I could make, an' you don't either.'

`No, that's true.'

`Well then.'

`Look, Wayne...'

No, you look. I know ow much you love livin' up north, an' don't get me wrong, I love it too. It's me ome an' it always will be, but you gotta see it from my point o' view. I'm new to all this, an' it looks ... kinda exciting. Any'ow, you do work ere, an' you ave said that it don't make your life any easier sometimes, bein' so far away, even if you do work from ome so much. Don't see what your problem is, to be truthful.'

`No, that is true. But look, let's not argue about it, eh? If you want to move somewhere else then I'm not gonna dismiss that out of hand ... assuming you want me to come with you.'

`You know I ain't goin' nowhere without you!'

`Yeah I do. And in a way that's what bothers me. I don't ever want to feel like I'm holding you back.'

You ain't. You could never do that. You know that.' He took my hand under the table and smiled fondly. Any'ow, I do see your point. You always say London's too crowded, an' you ain't wrong. I ain't sure I could live wi' the tube every day like it were earlier. Standing with yer nose jammed in some sweaty fooker's armpit ... ugh! An' people are ... well, rude, ain't they?'

`Yes, and quite ignorant, in my experience: they think the rest of the country is just there to be patronised. Anyway, I've finished my pint. Shall we get another one here, or shall we head back towards central Greenwich?'

Let's go back. But let's go ave a drink somewhere. We ain't gotta be up tomorrow morning, an' I fancy a few pints. Anywhere we can go dancin' round `ere?'

`Not in Greenwich. There's a place down in Lewisham I used to go to with my ex, but it's a bus ride from here. I don't mind giving it a go if you fancy it. Assuming it's open tonight, of course.'

`'Ow far is it?'

`Oh only a few minutes on the bus, but it's at the other end of Lewisham high street, so it's a bit of a walk at the other end, and there's no night bus back. Not that nice a part of town either.'

Nah, sounds like too much assle. Let's just get pissed round `ere! Come on.'

We put our coats on and walked up to the main road, ambling back into town through the chilly spring evening, past the takeaways and the shuttered shops. Having lived just off that road only a few years before it felt strangely like home; almost as if I was going to take him back to my old flat later that night. I looked around, puzzled at how I was missing a place I'd come to hate when I lived there, despite everything I'd said only a few minutes earlier. Then there was a crash and a rattle of broken glass next to us.

`Batty boy!'

`What the fook?!' Wayne started, shaking glass from his shoe.

`Fackin' Poofs! Batty boys!'

Another bottle whizzed past Wayne's head and smashed against the wall next to him. I looked round, into the faces of a group of lads and lasses over the road, maybe a dozen of them, not so far behind us. A bus roared past heading out of town, and in the gap in the traffic behind it they began to cross the road, heading purposefully in our direction.

`Shit! Wayne, run!'

We ran for it, my mind racing as we went. I could hear them pounding up behind us. I shot a look at Wayne, his eyes wide with fear. There was nowhere to go, I realised; no pub to dive into between here and the town centre, and I wasn't fit enough to run for long. I began to resign myself to getting a kicking. Then I saw the orange light heading towards us. Pulling Wayne with me I dived into the road, waving my arm frantically, fumbling for the door of the taxi as it stopped.

Just get going ... away from that lot!' I panted as I yanked the door shut. Go on, quick!'

Mercifully, the driver put his foot down. I thought for a moment they were going to try and stop us, but they just stood and watched the cab go by, swigging from the bottles they still had with them. I looked back to Wayne, swallowing nervously as he looked back out of the window. He looked back to me, his face white and his hand shaking. I reached out and took it, and he smiled gratefully.

You lads were lucky I came along,' said the driver suddenly. You want me to drop you back in town?'

`Er, yeah, if you will: at the hotel by the station, if that's okay?'

Nonchalantly the driver nodded and swung his cab round in a side street, and we headed back into town. We passed them on the way and Wayne and I both stiffened and gripped one another's hands all the more tightly, but they didn't even look at us; just another black cab in the London sprawl. A few minutes later we were at the hotel. I paid the driver and we scurried inside, off the streets that suddenly seemed threatening and straight into the bar.

Fook me,' said Wayne, lifting a pint to his lips with a hand that was still shaking slightly. I thought I was in for another kicking then, an' you with me.'

`Phew, yes, me too! If that taxi hadn't been there, or if he hadn't stopped...'

We'd be in ospital now.'

`Yup, probably. Christ that was a near miss.'

He shuffled uneasily in his seat and looked at me with the little-boy-lost expression he made when he was feeling vulnerable and wanted a cuddle.

`Shall we go upstairs?'

`Aye, let's do that.'

In the room he put his arms round me and we sank down onto the bed together, his face buried in my neck. I stroked his hair and nuzzled his forehead, and he sighed and pressed his soft lips to my skin.

`You okay?'

Aye, just a bit ... shaken. Never ad that appen before.' He looked up into my face with those deep, soulful eyes that I loved. 'Ave you ever bin gay-bashed?'

`No, not really. Nothing serious anyway. Me and my ex and a mate did get a bit of abuse and a bottle chucked at us one time up in central London, when we were on our way to a club once, and I've had a bit of verbal a few times. No more than that though.'

`'Ow come? It ain't as if you look gay, is it. You ain't camp or owt.'

`No, but my ex is. Other times it was just ... twats being twats, I suppose. They probably didn't even realise I was gay. It was just an insult to them.'

It's never appened to you back at `ome?'

`No, it's all been in London ... oh, except for one time in Durham, when I was a student. Walking through town late at night holding hands with my first boyfriend, years ago now, which wasn't a very good idea and we got a bit of abuse from some lads in a passing car, but that was all. I do know one or two people who've had incidents round our way, but I've never had any trouble. Well, not aside from that silly old woman on the bus that time!'

Heh, that don't count. She were ardly gonna start beatin' us up! Weird, innit. You think London's so ... tolerant, like.'

`Yup, and a lot of Londoners will tell you that. It's not, though. Outside a few bits of central London – Soho, Vauxhall, Islington and that – it's no better than anywhere else. Worse, in a lot of ways.'

`Aye, I can believe that. Mm, we're safe now any'ow, you an' me.'

He nuzzled into my neck again and tightened his arms around me. No matter now that there were people out there who hated and would harm us for being what we were. We were together, and in one another's arms, in the quiet of our hotel room, everything felt better.

`Shall we get ready for bed?'

`Mmm, in a minute,' he sighed, resting his head on my shoulder. We sat and cuddled like that for a long time, and he sighed as I kissed his ear and his cheek, and ran my fingers up and down his neck and into his hair. I suppose I'd always felt a bit paternal towards him, and it bubbled up to the surface then; protective, nurturing, tender.

`I love you, boy,' I whispered.

He looked up into my eyes, his face suddenly serious. `Boy' was my deepest endearment for him; what I'd called him on the day he'd told me he loved me. He'd never have let anyone else call him that – after all, he was a very fine young man and anything but a child – but it felt somehow right between us, and when he heard it he knew how I felt. His arms tightened around me, and he pressed his lips tenderly to mine.

`I love you too,' he breathed.

We snuggled up again, tight and loving, him sighing contentedly as I nibbled his ear. Presently he stirred, his eyes half-closed.

Let's ave some sleep, shall we?'

I nodded, and we got ready for bed. We lay close together under the cover, legs entwined as we fell asleep. We were together and safe, and everything was alright again.

I woke up hazily the next morning, with the sun shining through the curtains. Wayne was fast asleep next to me, snoring lightly, but he stirred as I went to get out of bed.

`Ain't getting up yet?' he asked, rubbing his eyes.

`No, I just need a wee!'

He snuggled in close when I returned and pillowed his head on my chest, and we dozed off again with our arms around one another. He woke me up again an hour or so later, stirring sleepily with his morning glory pressing into my thigh, his lips seeking out mine and his hand sliding down to my cock. We kissed sleepily, wanking each other idly as we woke up, until I pushed him over on his back, threw the covers off us and watched his face and listened to his sighs as I worked his cock harder.

`Oh ... oh gonna cum ... ah-ah! Ooh!'

Your cum face is so cute,' I grinned at him as he relaxed, beads of glistening cum spattered across his tummy and chest. And you've made a mess of the sheets again!'

Oh, I ave, aven't I?' he giggled. Oh well, no matter. Now, come `ere you!'

He knelt on all fours for me to fuck him in the mouth, sucking his cheeks in and rolling his tongue exquisitely round my shaft as I did it. It felt so good that I knew I wasn't going to last long. I pushed right back into his throat as I came, and as I squirted the last of my spunk he gulped, looked up into my face with dancing eyes, and then held my cock in his mouth as it softened, rolling his tongue round it again and again.

`Can stop you mekkin' a mess, can't I?' he smiled, finally letting my satisfied cock slip out between his soft, wet lips.

Our train home wasn't until the evening, so after breakfast we went out to explore Greenwich a bit. I was thinking about a long walk in the park and up to Blackheath, but by the time we went out it had clouded over and started to rain, so we ambled around a couple of the museums, had a long lunch in one of the riverside pubs, and then retrieved our bags from the hotel and sauntered up into central London to kill the last couple of hours. He rolled his eyes teasingly as I dragged him into a bookshop, and then again as I paid for the small pile I'd accumulated.

Mm,' he yawned, as we settled into our seats on the train for the haul north. Be nice to be `ome. Tiring innit, London.'

`Yes. Fun for a few days, but...'

Aye. Think I change me mind about it now, specially after what appened last night.' He touched my hand discreetly. Quite appy where I am, I reckon. Anyhow, you gonna read one o' them books you just splashed out on, or shall we ave a game o' chess?'

We'd bought a chess set ages ago. Playing against him had sharpened my game a bit, but he still beat me twice before the train pulled into the terminus. We were home.

`Look! What's that?' Wayne asked, putting his hand discreetly on my knee.

He was looking intently out of the window. I followed his gaze to where a great mountain jutted up like a pyramid above the clouds. I'd seen it once before when I'd visited with work, and it was a welcome sight now.

`That's Gran Canaria. Once we get down through the clouds you'll be able to see the whole island.'

`Oh wow, it looks amazin'!'

There was a bleep and the seatbelt light came on, and the cabin stirred as passengers put away their bags and belted themselves up for landing. I enjoy flying, but Wayne had only done it the once before and he was a bit nervous. He'd gripped my hand tightly as the plane sped down the runway to take off, and now he sat rigid with his lips set firmly together as we began to lose height. I took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze: he shot back a slightly tense smile and twined his fingers in mine. We sat back hand in hand, watching out of the window as the island drew nearer.

A couple of hours later we arrived at our hotel, a concrete pile just back from a busy beach. That was the family beach, we'd been told; the one frequented by gay guys, where you could sunbathe nude and disappear into the dunes behind for a quick shag, was a few minutes' walk further on beyond the headland.

`Well this is alright innit!' exclaimed Wayne as he opened the door to our room.

It was large and comfortable, with an en suite bath and shower easily big enough for the both of us, a big and inviting-looking bed, and a large chair that looked ideally suited for having sex in all sorts of interesting positions. He saw me looking at it and laughed knowingly, then went over and opened the balcony doors. I followed him. The view out over the beach and across to the ocean was stunning, and he slipped an arm around me, dropped a kiss on my lips, and stood and contemplated it with a delighted smile. Looking out over the sunlit palm trees and people sunbathing it was hard to believe that only a few hours before we'd left the rain and chill of England in spring.

Won't need that for a week,' Wayne laughed, hanging his jacket up in the wardrobe. He turned back to removing the last things from his bag. Ah! Will be needin' this though...'

He held up a jar of lube.

`Oh yes! Come here you...'

We fell onto the bed together, kissing, undressing one another hastily. We were hot and sweaty from the journey and his skin tasted divine as I ran my tongue all over his neck and chest, sucking and biting at his nipples as they hardened. He reached down and began wanking me slowly, then pushed me over on my back and worked his way down my body, kissing and licking, pushing my legs apart so he could run his tongue all over the insides of my thighs and over my balls, then up again to start sucking my cock.

`Ooh ... oh God Wayne, you're gonna make me cum!'

He looked up, grinning through his mouthful of cock, and redoubled his efforts, pistoning his head up and down, holding me firmly as I began bucking my hips with the sensation. He locked his lips around my shaft as I came in his mouth then pulled his head back and swallowed, spunk dribbling down his chin.

`Now ... my turn!

I wriggled down the bed, dragging a pillow behind my head. He straddled me and thrust his cock in my mouth, and pulled my hand round to finger his bottom as he fucked me. I grabbed the lube and spread a little round his hole, then thrust my finger in. He gasped as I found his prostate and began to tickle it, and I began to taste his pre-cum as he groaned louder and louder, until he grunted, pulled back sharply with his face contorted and shot his big load all over me.

`Oh ... oh that's better. Fook me I needed that!'

We lay and cuddled for a while, then got up, showered and went for a walk round the town. I couldn't help but notice Wayne getting quite a few looks, and I wasn't surprised, for he looked lovely. His shorts showed off the sweet curves of his bum and his beautifully shaped legs, and his white shirt emphasised the pertness of his body, and the lithe elegance of his movements. He was fascinated by everything around him, taking in the sights and sounds of the town; teasing me amiably when I tried to buy a packet of cigarettes (for we'd both started smoking again) in my halting, rusty Spanish and received a reply in perfect English. Eventually we fetched up in a bar on the seafront, ate a relaxed meal and then sat and watched the sun go down over the ocean as we finished a bottle of wine.

This is perfect,' he grinned at me as we walked back hand in hand along the beach. Everythin' that's bin wrong ... Joe, all that shit wi' Daz and the rest, all feels miles away now.'

`Yup. It is perfect. Everything's okay now. This place is lovely, and there's no-one in the world I'd rather share it with than you.'

Back in our room he grabbed me and kissed me hard, his mouth tasting exquisitely of wine and cigarettes, grunting in lust as I undid his jeans and let them fall to his feet. He stepped out of them and pushed me down into the chair, kissing my neck in animal passion, thrusting his tongue in my ear as he undid my jeans and pulled out my cock.

Fook me,' he hissed in my ear. Here an' now, tek me.'

He daubed lube over my cock in clumsy passion, climbed on top and impaled himself with a grunt and a sigh, bending to kiss me again as he sank down, pushing my cock deeper into him, tipping his head back for me to tongue his neck and ear, and undo his shirt to lick his chest and nibble his nipples. They stiffened delightfully as I sucked on them. He began to move, slowly, sliding up and down my cock from tip to root, moaning aloud and squeaking at the end of each down stroke as I filled his hot, tight passage completely. Then I pulled him down onto me hard, grinding my pubes against his bottom.

Oh, ah...' he sighed. Oh that's good. That's so fookin' good.'

He bent forward and kissed me on the lips, very slow and tender and his tongue teased mine delightfully. I kicked off the trousers that were still round my ankles and peeled off his shirt, leaving us naked and lost in the moment, running loving hands all over one another's bodies. We kissed again, very deep this time. Then he drew back, looked into my eyes and began to move again, harder his time, his cock rubbing up and down my tummy, grunting with each stroke.

`Oh ... oh Wayne, stop or I'll cum! I'll cum!'

He stopped again, a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek and a sexy smile playing across his face, lifted my hand to his face and kissed my fingers.

Tek me from behind,' he breathed. Do it to me good an' hard.'

He knelt up, grunting as my cock slipped out of him, let me wriggle out from underneath him and then turned around and knelt on the chair with his bottom sticking out. I took hold of his hips, pressed my cock against his open, waiting hole, and then thrust forward, sliding right into him in one movement

Aw yeah ... like that,' he whimpered. Oh man, yeah, give it to me like that!'

I pulled back slowly and he sighed as I slid out of him almost to the tip of my cock, and then I went in again until my pubes nestled in his crack and he whimpered in exquisite pain. I kept going, fucking him inexorably; making him squeal and squirm and writhe; reaching round to wank him. His knuckles went white as he gripped the chair, and he began to lose control of himself, his muscles spasming around my dick as he moaned that he was starting to cum. Then his head went back, teeth clenched to stop himself screaming, and his hot sticky cum flooded into my hand. Three more hefty thrusts and I pulled back out of him and shot all over his cheeks.

We lay in late the next morning, teasing and talking and making love in the sunshine that flooded into our room, then got up and went to the beach for a few hours' sunbathing.

`Ooh, this is proper lovely,' he sighed, lying face down on his towel as I massaged sun lotion into his shoulders and his back.

It was already hot, and the beach was starting to fill up. A couple of bronzed lads walked past nude, cocks swinging idly to and fro as they wandered down to the sea for a swim. Taking a cue from them I hauled down Wayne's shorts and began rubbing lotion gently into his bottom and thighs, until he hissed at me to stop because he had the makings of a hard-on. Instead he took over and began doing the same to me, and we lay back idly, naked in the sunshine, and watched the world go by. Presently he yawned, stretched and wiped away a bead of sweat from his forehead.

Phew, so hot, innit? Shall we go ave a swim?'

`Mmm, you go if you want. I'd best stay here and watch your stuff.'

Nah, no need for that. I ain't brought me wallet or owt with me, s'all back at the otel. No-one's gonna nick a couple o' towels an' our shorts. Come on!'

He took my hand and led me down to where the Atlantic rollers broke on the sand. The water was sharp and cold, a lovely contrast with the sticky heat of the beach. Standing in it up to our waists he looked at me, took a deep breath and plunged into the next wave as it came. When he was little he'd suffered from bad ear infections that had meant he couldn't use swimming pools, so he'd not learned to swim until he was a teenager. He was sorry about that, he'd once said, because he enjoyed swimming and wished he was better at it. He was doing pretty well though, splashing through the waves. He paddled back over to me, stood up and stretched out his arms with a joyous grin.

`Come on Marcus!'

He pulled me with him, and we both struck out from the beach together. We probably didn't look a very elegant pair, what with my clumsy breast stroke and his splashy doggy paddle, but we were enjoying ourselves. We stopped and trod water and had a little salty kiss, and then struck out for the beach again. We were still grinning happily at each other as we walked back up the beach to our things. I towelled him down vigorously, and he put his shorts back on and wandered over to the kiosk to get us a drink and something to eat.

`Hey, look,' he hissed when he got back, taking a sip of beer.

I followed his gaze to where the two lads we'd seen earlier were standing up to their chests in the sea, very obviously having a wank together underwater. One of them screwed up his face and came as we watched.

`Shall we...?'

Nah, too cold in there for that! We could go back to the otel though...'

I ran a hand down his back and slipped it into his shorts, and he shuffled so as to sit on my fingers, giggling as I tickled his hole. A couple of beach police strolled along the shore and I felt suddenly self-conscious, sitting there with my hand in my boyfriend's pants, fingering his bottom in public. Yet no-one was looking at us: we were just another gay couple soaking up the sun. He turned and kissed me softly on the lips, tasting of beer and cigarettes and sun lotion.

`Want to go and have a siesta for a bit?'

He nodded slowly, and kissed me long and deeply again before we gathered up our things, holding our towels in front of us to hide semis, stopping a couple of times to kiss under the palms. Back in the room he forced me back against the wall and snogged me passionately as we tore one another's shorts down, wanking each other with sandy fingers, then tumbled into the shower to kiss and massage and wank as the water washed the sun lotion and sand from our bodies.

`I wanna fook you,' he hissed in my ear, soapy fingers tickling my arse.

`Yes ... yes, please fuck me. Come on...'

We towelled one another down in a haze of passion and fell on the bed, him on top of me, spreading my legs and working all down my back with his tongue, then lubing me with tender, teasing fingers. He fucked me slowly and firmly, letting me feel every vein and wrinkle of his cock as he drew out and pushed in again, finishing each thrust with a jerk of his hips that hurt delightfully. Spread-eagled across the bed, legs tangled with his, I gripped his hands tightly in moaning, squirming ecstasy.

`Oh babe ... I fookin' love you ... you're awesome ... oh ... oh, does it feel good?'

I couldn't speak, so intense was the sensation he was giving me, but I nodded and whimpered and turned my head to kiss him as he paused. Then he began again, harder, working his tongue wetly all over my neck and cheek and ear as he did, pushing my face into the pillow to quiet me as my moaning grew louder.

`Like this, don't you ... you feel so nice ... ooh, you're cumming ... can feel you cumming!'

And I was, massively and uncontrollably, biting the pillow to stop myself crying out even as he thrust his tongue in my ear, grunted ecstatically and came inside me. We relaxed, him still on top of me, his cock still inside me as it softened, me staying face down to make sure his lovely cum stayed where I wanted it, deep inside me. Wayne was more often the bottom, and when he fucked me it was extra special; something loving, exquisite, passionate, which we both treasured deeply. We gazed adoringly at one another as he finally pulled out and snuggled up in my arms. At some point we'd go out again, back to the beach or to a restaurant, but for the time being there was nothing either of us wanted to do more than lie and cuddle as the sounds of the town wafted in through the open balcony doors and the sun played across our sweaty, satisfied bodies.

After another day spent lounging on the beach, swimming in the sea and making love in the hotel we decided to go and explore the island a bit. We got the bus up to Las Palmas, where we wandered idly through the old city, ate in a restaurant overlooking the magnificent sweep of the beach and then wandered back into the old town to spend the afternoon drifting in and out of the galleries and museums. I couldn't help but cast a little sidelong glance at him as we ambled through the ancient streets, and noticed how completely relaxed and poised he looked, with his shorts and linen shirt showing off his lovely body, his sunglasses, and the straw hat I'd bought him after the tips of his ears began looking a bit sunburnt that he was wearing at a jaunty angle. He looked truly wonderful. Just then we chanced upon another museum.

`I love your enthusiasm for all this,' I grinned at him when he beckoned me over to look at a display he'd been studying intently for the last few minutes.

Yeah,' he chuckled. I love it. Bet you never thought I were into it all when we met though, did you?'

`No, I must admit, I didn't.'

Heh, jus' goes to show, don't it. Shouldn't judge a guy on ow you first see im. I always liked istory an' all that though. Some o' the lads back when I were younger used to tell me I were sad cos I watched all the documentaries an' istory stuff on telly, an' I actually read books. Never could talk about it wi' any o' them, nor me mam really ... specially not wi' that cunt Joe about. So nice now avin' you who's interested in it too!' He smiled fondly at me, looked at his watch and gasped. Oh shit! Bus goes in twenty minutes!'

`Is there another one?'

Doubt it. Not til much later even if there is. Fook it, we better try an' make it, adn't we. Come on!'

We had to run through the streets to the bus station despite the heat, Wayne clutching his hat, and charged onto the bus exhausted and bathed in sweat, only a minute or so before it set off.

Thank fuck for that,' I panted as we sat down. Did you see that poster? This is the last one. We'd have had to get a taxi if we'd missed it!'

Aye, I did. Oh well, we made it. Fook me I'm ot. Need a shower when we get back!'

`Yeah, me too. Phew, I'm sweating like a pig. Anyway, what are we doing this evening?'

Dunno. Could go out an' ave summat to eat, couldn't we, or go an' see what's on in town. Shall we go clubbing? Few gay clubs down there that look pretty good. How `bout we get pissed an' go dancing?!'

`Now that is an idea...'

Back at the hotel we took a long, cool shower together, soaping one another with tender fingers and kissing as the water seeped between our lips. He chuckled happily as I towelled him down, kissing his tummy as I knelt down to dry his legs. I went to make us a drink, and then came up behind him as he stood on the balcony, smoking a cigarette and looking out over the seafront. He sighed as I put a hand on his bottom and nuzzled his neck. Looking around I realised that no-one could see us except those in the street below, and they could only see us from the waist up thanks to the solid balcony wall. I slid a hand down the back of his shorts to fondle his bottom and slip my fingers into his crack, then pulled his shorts down his brown-tanned legs and knelt to run my tongue over his milky-white buttocks.

`Ooh, don't! People'll see!'

`No they won't. Look around ... see, no-one can see us. Now, let's see if you can keep a straight face ... open your legs a bit.'

Two floors up, no-one could hear Wayne's little gasps as I tongue-fucked his gorgeous arse and wanked his cock, though maybe one or two wondered why his eyes kept widening and his expression stiffening, until he crushed out his cigarette and pushed me back into the room, waddling uneasily with his pants round his ankles and grunting that he wanted to sit on my face. On the bed he undressed me as he knelt over me, grunting with the sensation of my tongue teasing his most private areas. I gave his bum a final wet lick, wetted my finger and pushed it up inside him. He turned round on it, gasping again, and held his cock over my face for me to lick and suck as it dribbled pre-cum on my lips.

`Mmm! Mmm! Cum in my mouth, please!'

He began to wank, slowly at first but then harder and harder, riding my finger and grunting, as I lay under him with my mouth wide open. As his face screwed up in the final strokes he knelt up off my finger, pointing his cock down into my mouth and filled it with his wonderful spunk.

We went out a couple of hours later, down to a street where the bars were heaving and the music blaring, and we sat and ate dinner and drank wine, eyeing up the guys walking past and loving how openly the couples were walking around holding hands. Later we joined them, and got a bizarre proposition from a drunken guy in his forties who wanted a threesome. Wayne fixed him with his most withering look, and thankfully he took the hint and fucked off.

Sod that!' Wayne chuckled. I don't wanna fook anyone else ... one's enough!'

`That's a relief!' I laughed.

He stopped suddenly, turned to me and took both my hands, standing silhouetted against the sky and the ocean, his face suddenly grave.

Serious,' he said. I don't ever wanna go wi' anyone else. I look at other guys, like, but I'll never do more'n that, never. I'd never cheat on you or owt. You know that, don't you?'

`Of course I do. I trust you completely. And you know it goes for me too; I don't wanna fuck anyone else either. But ... well, now you've said it, I do sometimes think that ... I've had my fun, shagged around when I was younger, and ... kind of got it out of my system. You've not had chance to do that...'

An' I don't wanna do it,' he cut in firmly. I just ain't interested. I got you, an' that's all I want. Anyhow, you know I feel same as you do about open relationships. If I were gonna shag anyone else I'd lose you an' I don't ever want that. Any'ow, it ain't as if you an' I don't ave good sex, is it?! Why'd I wanna do it wi' someone else? Nah, it's you an' me, an' I'm appy wi' that.'

`Me too. I ... oh I can't find the words but you know what I mean. I guess you're as much of an old romantic as I am, in the end.'

`Romantic? Aye ... well, maybe. I do believe in true love, yeah, and I reckon I found it.'

He turned and grinned coyly at me, and I couldn't resist leaning in to whisper in his ear.

`Me too. I love you, boy.'

`Mmm, you too.'

He took my hand and led me off down the street, feeling on top of the world. He caught my eye and we grinned helplessly at one another and stopped for another playful little kiss. We spent a happy evening ambling from bar to bar, alternating beer with rough red wine, and then went to a club sometime after midnight. Wayne was still shy about going on a dance floor until he had a few drinks inside him – and so was I – but by the time we got to the club he was well and truly tipsy, and we bounced happily around together, stopping every so often to buy another drink, wander out onto the veranda overlooking the sea and watch the world go by. Much later, as the sky started to lighten, we left and sauntered back along the beach hand in hand. Guys were openly cruising despite the late hour, and we spotted a couple stealing quietly down towards the shoreline. Wayne pulled me in closer.

Come on. Let's go an' watch the sun come up.'

It was still dark on the beach, and we could hear the grunting of a couple having sex not far away as we went and sat by the sea. Wayne rested his head on my shoulder, and we sat and smoked and watched the sky brighten over the waves. I tightened my arm round him as we threw away our cigarette ends, and he lifted his face to mine for a long, slow kiss as he slid a hand up my thigh and tickled my crotch. I ran mine down his back and into his waistband at the back, and he kissed harder, his tongue more urgent and probing, then pushed me down on my back on the sand and rolled on top of me.

Fook me,' he hissed urgently, fumbling with my belt. Tek me here an' now.'

`Can't ... got no lube. Anyway, it's getting light.'

Shit! Come on then, let's go back to the otel, an' you can do me up the bum big time on the balcony!'

He kissed me fiercely on the mouth again as we sat up and re-fastened our belts, and tumbled off the beach back to the road. The couple were still shagging only a few yards away, and in the half-light I could see a lad's bottom pistoning up and down as he fucked his moaning boyfriend.

`That's gonna be you in a minute,' I hissed in Wayne's ear, running my tongue round it to press the point.

Unable to keep our hands off each other we kissed and groped our way back to the hotel and up the stairs. His lips were pressed firmly to mine as I wrestled the room door open, and then we were in, tearing at one another's clothes, shirt buttons popping off and rattling to the floor. Wayne's jeans fell to his ankles as we made for the balcony and he tripped and dropped to his knees. I couldn't resist it. Grabbing the lube I dropped down behind him, tore his pants down and thrust my face into his bum, pulling down my own pants and lubing my cock as I did it. Then as he moaned for me to fuck him I mounted him like an animal, and thrust deep into him.

Oh!' he grunted, head going down in enjoyment. Fook that's good.'

I pulled back out of him nearly to the tip of my cock and he threw his head back again and whimpered, then down again as I came back in.

`Oh yeah. Fookin' do it to me ... yeah ... oh that's good!'

Pausing, we crawled out onto the balcony into the open air with me still deep inside him, losing the rest of our clothes as we went. Below us in the street a few early morning workers and the odd passer by stumbling home from the clubs heard the grunts and the moans as we moved, and the long, deep sigh as it came to an end.

You're perfect,' I whispered to him as we cuddled up in bed in the gathering daylight, running a tender finger across his tummy, until he took my hand and twisted his fingers in mine. You're perfect, and I love you.'

All too quickly the last night came around, finding us tanned and smiling, sitting in a waterfront bar with a meal and a bottle of wine, savouring the last evening of a wonderful holiday. He looked around and sighed.

`Penny for them,' I said, seeing his wistful expression.

Just thinkin' that ome is gonna seem a bit cold an' miserable after `ere!'

`Yup. Oh well, we can come again sometime. Or go somewhere else next year.'

Yeah, I guess so.' He smiled happily. Loads we can do now, specially now I'm gonna be makin' good money. Got the world at our feet now, aven't we, you an' me.'

He took a long sip of wine and leaned back in his chair, looking around him with complete contentment and the infectious sense of optimism I loved so much about him. I thought briefly back over the holiday. It really had been brilliant. Spending so much time with him had been wonderful, and it had determined me to ask him something; air an idea that had been forming in my mind for a while. I took a swig of wine and a deep breath, and seeing it he looked round quizzically.

I've ... I've been thinking,' I began. A nice thought, I think. It's ... well, what would you say to the idea of us moving in together?'

Oh!' He looked startled, and then a smile spread across his face, slowly widening as he took in what I'd said until he was grinning from ear to ear. Really?! Oh wow! Can we?!'

Well, it seems to make sense, doesn't it? I mean, it's not as if you're not at mine half the time now, and anyway, you've been saying for ages that you want to move out of your mum's place.' I reached over and took his hand, and he squeezed mine tightly. Besides, I'd love to wake up with you every day.'

`Me too ... oh I dunno what to say ... Yes, o' course, I'd love to live with you. I'm ... I'm...' He broke off again, lost for words.

`In that case, I suppose the question is, when?'

Soon! Let's mek it soon! When we get back let's go talk to mam. It's ... well, not as if I've much stuff, is it? I can move in as soon as we get back ... if you'll ave me.'

`Of course I will. The sooner the better as far as I'm concerned. But that brings me onto the next idea. My house is probably a bit small, isn't it? And anyway, if we're moving in together it'd be nice to make a fresh start and sort a place out together; a joint project if you like, rather than you just moving into my place and living with all my stuff. So how about we go looking for a house together?'

Oh can we?!' He was beaming, almost bouncing up and down in his seat in excitement. Oh that's an awesome thought ... makin' a home for both o' us.'

`Well, yes, I don't see why not. I mean, my house will do for the time being and I'd love you to move straight in if you're happy to do that, but when my lease expires in the summer we can go looking for somewhere else. I'm thinking the same kind of area – I love it round there – but just a bigger house, three bedrooms maybe. We can afford that between us.'

Oh yes! I don't really wanna move anywhere else either. Lived round there all me life, like, but it's ome, isn't it?'

`Yup. Home for both of us, and wouldn't it be lovely to set up home there together?'

Aye! We can pick our ouse – so many places out there we can ave our choice from – an' mek what we like of it. That's ... oh Marcus, love, you no idea ow `appy you just made me. I can't wait!'

`Nor can I.' I raised my glass to him, smiling, and he beamed back at me as we clinked glasses over the table.

`Here's to the future, then. Our future!'

I hope you've enjoyed this story. Feedback welcome: n8amb7s@mail.com

Please think about making a donating to nifty so we can continue to enjoy the stories. Donate here: http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html