Part 1
DeAnna Zankich
Sequel is | Cloudbusting
Summary: Brian, Stuart, and Vince meet up once again, and fun ensues.
Warnings: None
The screensaver had been on the computer for hours and he'd almost forgotten about the `new message' prompt until he shut the machine down before they went to bed. Taking a deep breath, he clicked the address line and read Brian Kinney's response to Vince's extremely rude letter.
Reply To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
Vince,
Now look what you've done . . .
Anyone who would write a letter like that to a complete stranger is exactly the kind of person I want to be friends with.
Wanna be my pen pal? After all, we have so much in common.
Brian
*******************
"Oh, that won't do at all," Stuart muttered. He deleted the message entirely and shut off the computer.
"Did you say something, luv?" Vince asked from the bedroom. He'd just gotten out of the shower and was standing in the doorway in his black terry robe, rubbing his golden hair with a towel.
"Nope," Stuart said, turning off the lights in the lounge then sauntering up to the bedroom. "Just talking to myself." He untied the sash of Vince's robe and slipped his hands around his lover's tight waist. Vince's body had become so much more defined and lean since they'd been together that Stuart often found himself just staring at him as he moved. Neither of them ever really worked out in the literal sense, but their very active sex life seemed to be keeping them both quite fit. Sure beat lifting weights.
Stuart ran his hand over the muscles of Vince's belly, gently petting the soft down of light brown hairs just above his navel. He smiled flirtatiously as he pressed himself against Vince's body, inhaling the delectable scent of his freshly washed skin. His mouth flooded with saliva and he swallowed, moaning softly.
"Stuart," he said, lowering his chin and raising his eyebrows. "You don't honestly think I'm going to shag you after what you told me tonight."
Knowing his lover was playing, Stuart squinted and made like he was considering the question. "Well . . . I think you might want to."
"Why is that?" Vince tossed the towel on the floor by the bed and put his arms around Stuart's waist.
"Because . . . if you don't, I might end up back online with Brian. God knows what I'll get up to then."
"Ah," Vince said. "I see. Did that little bastard respond to my letter?"
Stuart looked down and almost lied, but then he shook his head. "He loved it, unfortunately. I was afraid he might. Wants to be your best friend now."
Vince laughed. "Christ, the cheek!"
"I know. I deleted his response but you can probably find it in the message archive. He just said anyone who would write a letter like that to a complete stranger is someone he wants to know better. He asked if you wanted to be pen pals because you have so much in common."
Vince was watching him closely. "Was that all he said?"
Stuart nodded.
"You don't want me to reply again and further insist that he piss the fuck off?"
"Not unless you want to be his pen pal." Stuart said. "If you write him again, he'll know you're interested. It's up to you, Vince. I'm not going to tell you that you can't. Besides, you'd die if you saw him."
"He IS nice, isn't he? You just didn't want to tell me before."
"No, I don't mind telling you. Just thought you'd take for granted that he was good-looking." Stuart offered a conceited smirk.
Vince rolled his eyes. "You're too bloody much. Have you got any photos of him?"
"No," Stuart said. "But I'll ask Kate to send me some if you really want to know."
"Why don't we just ask HIM?" Vince's blue eyes twinkled and he squeezed Stuart's ribs gently.
"Ooohhh . . ." Stuart tilted his head, looking sidelong at his lover. "You ARE interested. Look at you. Why?"
Vince shrugged. "Dunno, really. Maybe it's my male sense of competition. Maybe I want to prove myself better than him. More worthy of you."
"Here we go with THAT again. Like I'm some bloody damsel in distress. You did this with Nathan, as well-all this macho posturing."
Vince just smiled, unapologetically.
"It's ridiculous, Vince. He's in AMERICA. It's not like he's going to be a daily problem or anything."
"So, you're saying you don't want me and him to be pen pals?"
Stuart chuckled, not sure if he was really enjoying this little game. "What would you talk about?"
"You," Vince replied without hesitation.
Sighing, Stuart walked over to the bed and flopped down on his back. "Uuuuhhhhghhg! All right. Get back online and chat up a storm with him. I don't care. I'm going to sleep."
"Fine, then," Vince said, bouncing down the stairs and over to the computer. "I'll just do that." He sat down and turned the machine back on.
From the bed, Stuart could hear it whirring to life again and his jaw clenched so hard his eyes watered. "Fuck," he muttered, lunging off the bed and trotting down the steps to the desk. "Stop it, you twat. I don't want you to do this and you know it."
Vince chuckled like a bad little kid and rolled the chair over to where Stuart stood. He pulled his lover down into his lap then rolled the chair back to the computer. "Let's just see if he's there," Vince said.
"Nooooo," Stuart groaned. "This is a fucking horrible idea. I don't want to do this."
Vince pulled up the email program and clicked on the last message they had exchanged with Brian Kinney. Once it was up, he clicked "reply" and started typing.
Reply To: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
From: S&V@demon.uk
Brian,
Still there?
Vince
****************
Vince clicked `send' and Stuart dropped his head into the crook of his lover's neck, groaning.
"Oh, do we have to? I thought we were going to fuck. I like that idea much better than this one."
"Hush," Vince said, rocking him gently on his lap. "You know you love the attention, stop your whinging."
Stuart straddled him in the chair, wrapping his arms around Vince's neck. In doing so, he turned his back to the computer screen but he still heard the little metallic plink when the `new message' prompt popped up. Shit. Brian was still there. Glancing at the clock in the kitchen, Stuart did the math for the time difference. It was just before 8:00pm in Pittsburgh. Pretty boy was working late.
He peered over his shoulder as Vince opened the new message and they read it together.
Reply To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
I'm here.
Are you accepting my offer?
******************
Rolling the chair forward so he could reach the keyboard with his arms around Stuart's body, Vince typed his reply.
Reply To: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
From: S&V@demon.uk
That depends. I need to see what you look like before I decide if it's worth my time.
Send me a photo.
*******************
In less than a minute, the reply came back with an attachment.
"Blimey," Vince snickered. "Do you reckon it's naughty, what he sent?"
"Won't know `til you open it," Stuart answered, uncomfortably. "But my guess would be yeah. Knowing him."
Vince opened the new message.
Reply To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
As you wish.
(attachment)
******************
Scrolling the cursor down, Vince double-clicked on the attached photo and waited a few seconds for it to load. It was a big print that took up the whole screen and at first it wasn't clear what they were looking at. It appeared to be a flesh colored plane at the top of the photo that was cut with soft shadows as it went down.
"Oh, he didn't . . ." Vince breathed as he moved the cursor down and exposed the whole image.
"He did," Stuart said, looking at the screen over his shoulder. "Christ. What did I tell you?"
The photo was a dead close up of Brian's cock-so close up in fact, it was bigger than life. He was erect and straining and the tip of the engorged organ was moist and shiny. A plain ballpoint pen was placed just inside his hipbone, parallel to his erection.
"What's that about?" Vince said.
Stuart chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh my God. It's for scale." He held on to the back of the chair and leaned backward, laughing out loud at the audacity of it all. "What a conceited bastard! Can you believe that?"
Vince looked at him with his eyebrows raised. "Uh, yeah. I CAN."
"Oh, fuck off! I'm not like that. I'm not-really. I know this bloke. And I'm not like him at all. I'd NEVER do that!"
"Well, you're not that big," Vince teased.
Stuart dropped his forehead onto Vince's shoulder and just kept laughing, but that time he was embarrassed. He kissed Vince's ear, nuzzling the soft skin under the lobe. "You're still pissed off, aren't you?"
"I told you I wasn't." Vince held on to his hips and looked him in the eye. "I'm not."
"You're being a bit mean, though," Stuart said. "I think you're still angry."
Vince sighed, shaking his head. "Really. I'm not. I'm not being mean, I'm just taking the piss. You just don't have your sense of humor on tonight."
While they sat there, another new message prompt came up over the photo of Brian's impressive package. Vince clicked to open the new mail which-not surprisingly--was also from Brian.
To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
Did you have any trouble opening my picture?
******************
Vince leaned forward to type and Stuart urged his hips a bit closer to his lover's until they were flush against each other. He could feel Vince's naked cock through the fabric of his pajamas and he wanted to make him hard. While he listened to the keys clicking, he licked Vince's neck and put little, sucking kisses there. Glancing over his shoulder, he read what was on the screen.
Reply To: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
From: S&V@demon.uk
No trouble. It's very impressive. But I would rather put a face to all this terribly witty repartee.
*******************
Once again, there was only a moment between the message sent and the reply-this one also with an attachment.
Vince reached his hand up under Stuart's shirt and teased the hairs on his belly with his fingertips as he clicked open the new massage.
Reply To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
You might like this one. I doubt he remembers when it was taken.
(attachment)
*****************
"Uh oh," Vince said as he opened the new photo.
Stuart turned around to see the screen and his heart stopped in his chest as the image loaded and then appeared before them. It was a photo of Stuart and Brian lounging on the big white couch in Kate's living room, holding up their oversized martini glasses to toast the camera. Their shoulders were touching in a familiar, relaxed fashion as they sat beside each other and they were grinning like fools.
"You're bloody pissed here. Look at your eyes. DO you remember this?" Vince asked.
Stuart shook his head. "Not at all. It must have been after the ice cubes, though. You can see the water mark on his jeans." He pointed to the outside right leg of Brian's jeans and there was a dark wet stain there. Also, the top button of his fly was undone.
Vince was looking at everything in the photo, his sharp blue eyes scanning and re-scanning every detail of the image. "That's quite a house," he said, but all he could see in the photo was the back half of the living room and a bit of the entry hallway.
"Yeah. It's like a fucking hotel. It's huge."
"Kate took this?"
"Must have done. It was only the three of us there."
With his hand supporting Stuart's back, Vince leaned forward to get closer to the screen. He fixed on Brian Kinney's face and squinted slightly. "His eyes are hazel?"
"I think," Stuart said, but he knew. He remembered those eyes like he'd just seen them ten seconds ago. In fact, he would never forget Brian Kinney's eyes as long as he lived. They were elongated at the sides like the eyes painted on a pharaoh's mask and the golden-brown core of them burned with vulpine intensity. He recalled something Kate said about Brian putting "the cobra whammy" on him in the upstairs hallway. That was exactly the feeling Stuart had that night- like he'd been hypnotized.
Settling back in the chair again, Vince let out a long breath. "Well, he's bloody lovely," he concluded.
"Yeah. I mentioned that."
They smiled at each other.
"All right," Stuart said, standing up. "Enough of this. Tell the lovely Mr. Kinney good night and come to bed with ME." He walked up to the bedroom leaving Vince to finish their little cyber- conversation.
He had enough time to wash his face and brush his teeth before Vince actually came back up to bed, but Stuart didn't ask him what he and Brian said to each other in those few minutes they were alone on the internet. It was more interesting not knowing.
* * *
Brian:
"You're not even listening to me. I can hear you typing, you dick." Michael prattled away on the phone while Brian typed a line to Vincent Tyler in Manchester, England.
"I'm listening. You said you laughed at these two fags in the store today because Fat Marley was doing it, too, and now you think you're going to hell. I heard you, Mikey."
Michael sighed. "What are you doing?"
"Emailing this guy in England." Brian proof-read what he'd written before clicking `send'.
Reply To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
Your lover is very hot, but I know he hates my guts right now. He's probably going to return that bracelet, isn't he?
*******************
Brian chewed the end of a pen as he waited for the reply, still half listening to Michael talk about his day at work. When the prompt came up, he almost jumped at the mouse to open the message. This was a very enjoyable game.
Reply To: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
From: S&V@demon.uk
I asked him to return it. I was insulted that you sent it.
*******************
Reply To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
I was trying to apologize for my terrible behavior in New York. I meant no disrespect to you.
********************
Reply To: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
From: S&V@demon.uk
Well, I would appreciate it if you'd leave him alone. He's mine and I have no intention of sharing him. I believe I've made that clear.
********************
Brian grinned and bit the tip of his tongue as he typed his reply.
Reply To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
Does that mean you don't want to be pen pals, Vince?
********************
Reply To: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
From: S&V@demon.uk
It doesn't mean that at all.
I just want your word that you'll stop cruising my boyfriend.
********************
Reply To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
Aw, how disappointing. I was hoping we could ALL be pen pals together.
Imagine the fun we could have . . .
**********************
"Brian?" Michael insisted, whining a bit. "You asshole, you are SO not listening to me."
"Yes, I am," Brian said, smirking
"Then, what did I just say?"
"You just said `you asshole, you are SO not listening to me'." He laughed to himself but Michael didn't find it at all funny.
"If you're busy, why don't you call me later."
"I'm not busy. I'm just getting ready to leave. I was just stirring up some shit with this guy I met in New York."
"Some studly one night stand?" Michael teased, bitterly.
"He's European. Irish, actually. Very, very hot. And he has this jealous lover that's been sending me hate mail all evening. It's . . . very entertaining. Anyway, meet you at Woody's in an hour?"
"All right. See ya there."
Brian hung up and watched the screen, waiting for a reply from Vince. For almost two whole minutes there was nothing and he was beginning to think his new playmate had logged off for the night. But then the `new message' prompt plinked and he opened Vince's reply quickly.
Reply To: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
From: S&V@demon.uk
I'm imagining.
Perhaps we'll chat again some other time.
Vince
*****************
"Ha!" Brian Kinney grinned, triumphantly. "Gotcha." He closed the email program and shut down the computer for the night, grabbing his coat off the back of the door.
* * *
Vince:
He let his robe drop beside the towel he'd been using and crawled into bed next to Stuart.
The lithe brunette was on his side facing away from Vince and his breathing was slow and even. Vince curled up against his back and pulled the blankets up over them, burying his nose in the soft black curls at the nape of Stuart's neck. "Sleeping?" he whispered.
In response Stuart snuggled against him, scooting backward on the mattress until they were connected everywhere. "What else did that Brian have to say?"
"Just that he's planning to come over here and steal you away from me."
Stuart breathed a laugh. "Fat fuckin' chance."
Vince nuzzled the soft curls, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. He captured a silky lock between his lips and tugged on it very gently. Stuart sighed against him.
"We're chewing my hair, now? Next thing, you'll be grinding it up in your coffee."
Vince just laughed, softly.
After a moment, Stuart said, "he's not really coming here, is he?"
"I was joking, Stuart. I think he got my point. I was quite surly."
"Right. We all know how bloody threatening you can be, luv. You're the gentlest person I've ever met."
"Am I, now?" Vince growled against his lover's ear. "Let's just see about that." He rolled Stuart over onto his back and covered his mouth with a kiss, straddling those lean hips. He felt Stuart's fingers tickling the fine hairs on his thighs as he sucked his lover's lips a bit roughly, trying to make them plump and swollen, sensitive.
"Would you?" Stuart asked into the kiss.
"Would I what?"
"Fight for me."
Vince laughed. "Don't be daft. I'd kill for you. Don't ever make the mistake of thinking I'd just LET you go to some other bloke." He looked in Stuart's eyes at close range. "Would you fight for me?"
"What do you think I've been doing for the last year? I've been fighting MYSELF for you."
"It hasn't been a year," Vince corrected, gently. "It's been ten and half months."
"See? There's the difference," Stuart said. "I've settled down and I've stopped counting." He kissed Vince sweetly, then rolled over on top of him, switching their positions with deft grace.
Vince loved the sensation of Stuart's body in that position-the gentle pressure of his hipbones, the feel of his weight and the sinewy strength in his legs. He loved the way Stuart's abs tightened as he sat up there, stacking up like a six pack low on his belly. Vince touched the soft skin over the hard muscles, marveling at the difference in texture.
"Come here," he whispered, taking hold of Stuart's sides and guiding him forward. "I want to kiss you right there." He touched his finger to the soft flesh just above Stuart's navel and smiled as his lover tilted in to give him access to the spot. Vince licked it, tasting the clean, slightly salty taste of his lover's skin, then he nipped the flesh with his teeth wishing he could really bite, really devour the warm flesh. Stuart purred and his cock swelled, his elegant fingers stroking Vince's hair.
"Mmmmm . . . such a little tiger . . ." Stuart said, arching his back so his cock touched Vince's torso. It burned with its own pulsing heat as it filled with blood.
Vince scooted down on the bed until his shoulders were between Stuart's legs. He reached up his lover's back and stroked his skin there, trailing tickly little caresses down over his smooth, perfect ass. Stuart sighed blissfully, then he balanced himself with his hands on the headboard and slowly spread his legs wide, lowering down until he could feed Vince his cock.
"I'm dying for you to suck me," he whispered. "Make me really hard, luv. I want to be inside you"
Vince kept his eyes on Stuart's as he bathed that hard organ with his tongue, sucking the head with particular care. He stroked the warm cleft between Stuart's ass cheeks, teasing his anus with a fluttering touch of his fingers. Stuart closed his eyes, not sure which way to move-into the warm, sucking mouth or back against the teasing fingers. He smiled sexily at the lovely dilemma.
"You're so naughty . . ." he sighed.
Vince winked up at him, chuckling deep in his throat. He kissed Stuart's cock, then scooted down even more, nuzzling his warm balls and kissing all those tender, secret spots tucked between his legs. He licked the sensitive skin between his lover's balls and anus, then he swirled his tongue around that tight ring of flesh, wetting it again and again as Stuart moaned and sighed above him. Vince felt him tremble as his desire escalated.
"Wait-" he said in a hitching breath. "Stop." Stuart climbed off him and hovered above his head just long enough to kiss Vince deeply. Then he turned his lover over onto his belly and settled down between his spread legs. "I know what you're trying to do," Stuart said. "It's not gonna work, luv. I'm having YOU tonight."
Vince offered a mock-theatrical sigh. "Oh, all right. If you must."
Stuart bit him on the ass, playfully, making a tiny growling sound like a kitten attacking a catnip mouse. Then he carefully held Vince's cheeks apart and began licking in long strokes up and down the sensitive crevice. He sucked and kissed Vince's anus until the little opening started grasping for his tongue. Then he drove it in, sliding it back and forth slowly, keeping it rigid enough to maintain penetration. As many times as they had done this, Vince never got used to the sensation. It always made him squirm and moan and see tiny white stars out of the corners of his eyes. He tried not to rub his hard cock against the bed but he was so aroused. He gripped the sheets with his fingers and clenched his jaw, trying to keep some semblance of control.
Stuart's tongue licked up his spine all the way to his ear where he whispered. "Fingers?"
"No," Vince gasped. It was better if he just went right to it. Granted, it wasn't always that way, but they'd had plenty of practice and were at the point where they never hurt each other anymore-no matter what they did. Complete physical trust was in place.
Sliding his hand under the pillow, Stuart took out their favorite bottle of lube. He made quick work of his preparations and the next thing Vince knew, his lover's cock was slipping into him, a hot, pulsing rod of pleasure spearing him into submission on the bed.
He raised his hips just a bit, only until he felt the tops of Stuart's thighs on the backs of his own. This was the perfect configuration for that particular position and he relaxed into his lover's body, waiting anxiously for the delicious stroking to begin.
Stuart pressed his whole body against Vince's-belly, arms, legs, lips- then he kissed Vince's neck and opened his mouth over the flesh there, gently but firmly planting his teeth. His hips began moving slowly, drawing his cock out to the point of separation, then sliding it back in all the way to the bottom of the shaft. Vince supported himself with his knees and let his head drop down onto the pillow below him. He felt Stuart's right hand reach back to hold onto his hip, keeping him at just the right angle. Then, moaning deeply against Vince's neck, he began an even, steady increase of the speed of his thrusts, shepherding both their orgasms along with his legendary skill and dexterity. Vince surrendered to him, gasping from the pleasure as he felt his lover's engorged cock scrape repeatedly against his prostate. He could feel Stuart's erection swelling and heating up and he could tell by his ragged breath that he was close. They were both so aroused that night that they would be coming any second.
Lying his cheek on Vince's back, Stuart held onto him tightly as he began shooting inside him. He whined and cried out in between his gasps, a light film of sweat making their bodies slick against each other.
Concentrating on the feeling of being full of all that hot wetness, Vince shuddered and came into the tight sheath of Stuart's stroking hand.
"Jesus!" Stuart breathed once they were finally slowing down. "That was fucking excellent!"
Vince laughed, his breath still ragged and too quick, but he had to completely agree. Sex was always good with them, but that night . . . there was something extra. Some additional little sparkle between them that made their lovemaking just that much more intense, dramatic. This was one of those moments when Vince felt deeply connected to his lover-as though they were riding the exact same wavelength and didn't need to explain anything to each other. Everything was simply understood.
Cuddling together on top of the blankets because they were both too hot to be covered, Stuart rested his head on Vince's chest and relaxed while his lover played with his hair. Vince tugged the curls, then stroked them, giving each satiny tendril its own attention. Stuart had been wearing his hair a bit longer than he would normally at Vince's request. It was beautiful the way the curls separated from one another when it rained or after he showered. And if he moved around too much, there were these three ringlets in the front that would tumble over his brow and into his eyes. That annoyed Stuart to no end, but he put up with it because he knew Vince loved it. He would just patiently brush the curls back and rearrange them with his fingers-another unconscious, simple gesture that completely mesmerized Vince. It wasn't just that he loved to touch Stuart's hair, he loved to watch STUART touch his hair.
He'd been thinking of something Stuart said earlier that night and it had moved to the forefront of his mind. Glancing down to make sure his lover hadn't drifted off, he saw Stuart's eyes open, staring at some unseen point on the wall, lost in his own thoughts.
"Is that really how you feel?" Vince said.
Stuart giggled, softly. "Wait, don't tell me. You always do this. I want to try to figure out what you mean. Is it at least something I said tonight?"
"Yeah," Vince smiled, playing along, knowing he was being unnecessarily enigmatic. He never expected Stuart to read his mind, but it did happen. More often lately, in fact.
"Right, was it about Brian?"
"No. It was about us. About you."
He thought for a moment, squinting in concentration, then he brightened suddenly. "The settled down bit, right? You want to know if I really feel settled down."
Vince grinned, impressed. "Not bad, Stuart. Not bad at all."
Resting his chin on his hands, he looked in Vince's eyes. "I didn't mean that I felt settled like . . . you know SETTLED. Growing roots and all that. I meant that I felt calm. Secure. That I don't have to worry so much-about myself, I mean. About me fucking everything up. I was never worried about you, Vince. You've always been the rock. Always just letting me keep crashing against you, breaking myself apart."
Vince frowned slightly, touching Stuart's cheek. "That's a disturbing image."
"Sorry," he said. "That's how it feels to me. That you're unbreakable and I'm a bag a broken glass." Stuart sighed. "Vince, I know you're gonna think I'm mad, but I want us to . . ." he trailed off, a small dimple appearing between his eyebrows.
"What?"
Stuart appeared to have changed his mind about saying whatever he was about to say. He smiled and shook his head and inched up on the bed, snuggling against Vince's body.
"Stuart, what?"
"Never mind. I'll tell you some other time. I'm tired." Stuart wrapped himself around his lover, nuzzling his warm neck.
Sighing, Vince reached for the comforter and pulled it over them. He thought he would be troubled by the strange turn in the conversation and that it would make him lie awake for hours, but that wasn't to be. He fell asleep almost immediately. For some reason, he wasn't at all worried about whatever Stuart had decided not to say.
Vince felt certain it would come up again when the time was right.
Hazel:
Standing on the front porch in the crisp morning, Hazel blew smoke up at the clear blue sky. Bernie had gone to work early that Friday so she was on her own in the house. Just as she was contemplating having a nice long soak in the tub, Stuart's jeep pulled up in front. She crushed out her cigarette under her slipper and waited while he got out of the car and came up the steps.
"How are ya, kid?" she smiled, hugging him tightly. He looked gorgeous in that cranberry colored jumper, but he still needed a haircut. She tugged his soft curls as she led him into the house. "Stuart Jones, I've been telling you for weeks your hair is too bloody long. Get it cut or I'll do it myself with my pinking sheers."
"I told you, Hazel-your son likes it. And to tell you the truth, you are the only person that doesn't. Everyone else thinks it's sexy." He poked her ribs playfully as they walked down the entry hallway to the kitchen.
"What brings you `round this fine morning?" she said. "Don't you have work?"
"I took the morning off," Stuart said. "I need to ask you something."
Hazel put the kettle on, then leaned against the counter looking at him. "Is everything all right?"
"Yeah." He pulled up a chair at the table and sat down. "Everything's brilliant, in fact. But I need your help with something."
She took down two clean cups and dropped tea bags into them. "I'm at your disposal, luv. What can I do for you?"
Stuart moved aside some newspapers on the table, then he leaned forward on his elbows. "I need to know what came before Dr. Who."
"Sorry?" she said, completely baffled by his question.
He smiled. "Our Vince had to have been obsessed with something before he found Dr. Who. It's his nature to obsess. He was already into the science fiction thing when I met him, so I don't know what came before that. Do you remember?"
Hazel remembered, all right. She rolled her eyes and tried to recall where she'd last seen that box full of clippings and articles and little bits of research her son had kept all these years. The hall closet, maybe. She went down to the narrow closet under the stairs and pulled out the stepladder so she could get to the top shelf.
"Do you need help?" Stuart stood behind her, steadying her with his hands on her hips as she climbed up the ladder and started moving boxes on the high shelf.
"I believe this is the one . . ." she said, freeing a tattered cardboard box from behind a few newer shoeboxes. "Yes. Here." She handed it down to Stuart then got off the ladder, folding it and replacing it alongside some old dresses hanging in the closet.
Stuart brought the box back to the kitchen table and set it down on the pile of newspapers.
"Go on, then," Hazel said. "Have a look inside. Should tell you everything you want to know about your sweetheart before you met." She smiled, taking the kettle off the burner just as it started to rock. She filled the cups to their rims with hot water then she reached into the cupboard for the clover honey she knew Stuart liked. She kept it on hand just for him. "Are you going to tell me why you need all that stuff?"
"Yeah," he said. "I'm going to ask Vince to marry me."
She turned to him calmly, but her heart was racing like mad. Hazel just looked at the handsome young Irishman while she waited for him to elaborate.
Stuart gave her his cute, tilted grin-the one he used to charm the life out of anyone who tried to deny him something he wanted. "Well, of course that will depend on whether or not you'll let me ask for his hand."
"I'm afraid you'll have to call Dudley for that," she said and then she laughed out loud at the thought of such a conversation.
Stuart chuckled, then lifted the dusty lid off the box on the table.
While their tea steeped, Hazel watched him slowly sift through the top layer of yellowed clippings from newspapers and magazines, each one related to an alleged sighting of the Loch Ness Monster. Apparently there had been quite a rash of them in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Hazel remembered her son sitting at that very table pouring over library books on the subject, taking notes in binders that compared one sighting to another, always looking for similarities. His curiosity about it had consumed him. Vince had been unable to sleep one night before National Geographic was meant to air a special on sea monsters.
"Nessie?" Stuart said, slightly incredulous.
"Afraid so," she answered.
"He never said."
"Well, I reckon he was embarrassed to tell you. Probably thought you'd just take the piss. But he was obsessed, all right. I couldn't believe it. I actually thought he might end up becoming a marine biologist just so he could spend his life trying to prove the existence of that creature."
"Did he ever get there? To Loch Ness?"
"Not on my wage, luv. And the little darling never complained about it, either. Well, you know Vince. Of course he never complained. He was most likely relieved when the whole Dr. Who thing came along. At least that was just a telly show. He didn't have to travel anywhere but into his own wild imagination to enjoy that fantasy." She brought their tea to the table and set the little jar of honey in front of him.
Stuart smiled sweetly upon sight of it. "Thanks." Looking back into the box, he reached down behind some of the notebooks and tugged out a framed black and white photo. He recognized it as a photo that had been taken in 1933 claiming to be of the elusive Loch Ness Monster. Just like any of the so-called "real photos" of the mythical creature, this one could have easily been a fake. But this one was famous because it was the first to be published.
Stuart nodded, then put the frame back into the box. "That's perfect," he said. "Thanks." He put the lid back on and pressed it tightly shut. "Want me to put it back up in the closet?"
"That's all you needed?" she asked.
"That's it."
"All right." Hazel shook her head, wondering what on earth he could be up to. She walked down the hall with him and stood by while he replaced the box on the top shelf, then they went back to the kitchen table and sat down.
Taking out her cigarettes, Hazel allowed him to light one for her. "You're not thinking of tying the knot at Loch Ness, are you?"
"No," he said, laughing. "I haven't thought that far ahead. Right now I'm just thinking about the asking. The proposal. I almost did it last night after we'd shagged, but . . . then I thought . . . it should be memorable, right? He should love it and get all misty every time he tells the story for the rest of his life, shouldn't he?"
Hazel couldn't help grinning. "He should, yeah. But, Stuart-you have to know that he WILL remember it forever no matter when or where you ask him. You could blurt it out in the middle of scrubbing the loo and he would still think it was the most wonderful, romantic thing he'd ever experienced."
He smirked. "I don't scrub toilets. And neither does he. But I get your point. Still," Stuart sipped his tea, squinting slightly against the rising steam. "I was thinking we'd go away, you know? Take a long weekend and go do something he'd really enjoy."
"Well, Loch Ness would be a winner. I'm sure there a loads of posh hotels around a tourist trap like that," she said. "You could have a fabulous time. And he'd be chuffed to bits." She ruffled his curls affectionately. "I think it's a lovely plan." Hazel sat quietly just looking at him for a long, thoughtful moment before she spoke again. "Stuart, can I ask you something?"
"'Course."
She tapped her cigarette in the small ashtray on the table, turning the red end of it around and around against the glass. "Do you honestly never miss having all those attractive strangers whenever you want?"
"Who said I didn't miss it?" he asked. "I never said that. It's just that I don't miss it enough to give up what I've got now. Most likely I never will miss it that much."
Hazel smiled, knowingly. "Why, Stuart Alan Jones. My sweet son has gone and made you happy, hasn't he?" "Hazel,"
he said, leaning forward as though the neighbors might overhear him. "Your sweet son has ALWAYS made me happy. But now I get to shag him all the time, as well." He giggled and put a kiss on her forehead. "I can't lose."
"Well, I'm not going to tell you what you obviously already know."
He lowered his chin. "Meaning?"
"Oh, come on now. You know bloody well that Vince is beside himself. I've never seen him like he's been the last ten months. He's . . . ecstatic. Even when you two are struggling, he seems to just get . . . happier-stronger."
"Yeah," Stuart said, adding a spoonful of the clover honey to his tea. "That's because we're never bored. Neither of us would be so happy if we got bored."
"Well," Hazel said, covering his lean, graceful hand with her own and squeezing it gently. "I know I've said this before, but . . . you've surprised me, Stuart. You've made me very proud of you."
He looked away and actually blushed. Hazel couldn't help herself-she chuckled and pinched his reddened cheek like someone's ninety-year- old aunt.
"Be proud of Vince," he said, laughing. "This is all his doing."
"I always have been proud of Vince," Hazel said. She squeezed Stuart's hand again, feeling deeply comforted by the firm heat of that polished platinum ring.
* * *
Stuart:
Just before leaving the office that evening, he phoned Kate.
"I'm on the other line with Brian," she said.
"Oh, yeah? Tell him I said `fuck off'."
Kate snickered. "Uh huh. He sent me a transcript of your little email exploit last night. Doesn't sound like you're TOO bitter and hateful, bunny."
"It wasn't my exploit, it was Vince's," he said.
"Oh, so you're telling me you weren't sitting right there editing everything Vince wrote?"
Stuart felt his blood rush as he recalled their particularly hot lovemaking session the night before-the heat coming in no small part from their online banter with Brian Kinney. "I wasn't there for all of it. I got bored and went to bed."
"Sure ya did," Kate said, chuckling. "I gotta finish up with him. You at the office?"
"I'm just about to leave. Call me later if you want. And, Katey- seriously. Tell him I said to fuck off."
"Okay . . . but you know he's just gonna eat it up . . . Talk to you later." She rang off and Stuart sat in his chair for a moment just grinning from ear to ear.
* * *
Vince:
He let himself in at Hazel's, calling out her name as he took off his coat in the entryway.
"Back here, luv," she said from the kitchen.
Brushing the evening drizzle out of his hair, Vince made his way down the hallway and found his mother sitting at the table amid a daunting pile of bills. "Blimey," he said. "That doesn't look like fun."
"Well," she smiled. "Got to be done. Cuppa tea?"
"Yeah, thanks." He pulled out a chair and sat down, reaching for the newspaper. His eye fell on the little jar of clover honey sitting on the table and he looked up at her. "Was Stuart here today?"
Hazel put the kettle on but took a moment to answer, as though she were trying to decide if she should. Sighing, she turned around and leaned against the counter. "Yes. He was. He popped `round this morning."
"What for?" he said, trying to read her expression. She was clearly hiding something but it didn't appear to be anything bad.
"Uuummm, well . . ." she brushed her hand in the air dismissively. "What, your boyfriend's not allowed to come see your mum for a cup o' tea? He's MY friend, too, you know."
Vince chuckled. "You are the worst bloody liar. Fine, don't tell me."
Hazel let out a relieved breath. "Good. I won't. How are you, then?"
"Doing well, thanks." Vince picked up a bill he recognized and frowned at the balance.
"Excuse me, luv," Hazel said, stepping forward and taking the bill out of his hand. "You are no longer a resident of this house, therefor its expenses don't concern you."
"Mum," he said. "I wish you would let Stuart take care of that. You know he wants to. That mortgage is such an enormous drain on you. He could write one cheque and it would be gone forever."
Hazel took her son's face in her hands and smiled at him, patiently. "All right, Vinnie. I'll make you a deal. I will agree to let Stuart pay my mortgage if you will agree to make him get his hair cut."
He groaned, miserably. "Ooohhh, noo! Forget it, then. Suffer!"
She laughed and pinched the end of his nose. "I'm just kidding. Don't you DARE tell him, but I like all those black curls a bit long, as well. It is quite becoming on him. As if he needs to be any MORE becoming."
While she was busy making their tea, Vince glanced at the other bills scattered around on the table. A few of the more minor ones were stamped with red late notices. That troubled him deeply but he knew she wouldn't talk about it with him. Instead, he thought he'd try a different approach.
"Can I help you a bit, then? I've got lots of savings now since Stuart won't let me share in the rent on the flat. I'm happy to give you whatever you need, Mum."
Hazel's next sigh was a bit shorter, a bit more annoyed. "You mean to drive me mad, don't you?" she said, looking at him over her shoulder. "Vincent, I'm fine. Please stop pestering me about this."
"Can't help it," he said, softly.
"Well, try." She handed him a steaming cup and sat down across from him with one of her own. "You can do one thing for me, though."
He brightened. "What?"
"Stay for dinner." His mother gave him a cheeky wink and Vince sighed, acquiescing.
Hazel always won their arguments about money and Vince was beginning to realize he needed a new angle. One way or another, he was going to get her to accept his help. He just didn't quite know how.
* * *
Brian:
To: S&V@demon.uk
From: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
Wanna play?
*******************
He sent the message then logged out of his computer at the office. It was just after five and his boss had been gone for two hours. No sense dickin' around there if he didn't need to.
Brian grabbed his jacket and his keys and headed out the door, glancing at his watch. It was just after ten o'clock in Manchester.
* * *
Stuart:
Lounging on the couch in his robe, Stuart zapped channels distractedly as he waited for Vince to come back from dinner at Hazel's. He wasn't bored, he was just trying to keep his mind off checking the email. Wouldn't want that Brian to think he'd captured Stuart's interest or anything.
When the key rattled in the door, Stuart's heart jumped. He sighed, annoyed at himself and turned off the television. He loosened his curls and opened the robe a bit, then stretched his body out enticingly on the couch.
Vince tossed his keys on the counter, then had a quick look around the flat. He smiled when he found Stuart in the lounge and walked over to sit beside him. "Hiya," he said, running his fingers down the center of his lover's exposed belly. His lovely blue eyes devoured the prone form hungrily. "Expecting someone?"
Stuart giggled. "Twat." He stopped Vince's fingers right before they reached the waistband of his shorts and played with them gently. "How's Hazel?"
"You should know," Vince said. "You were there this morning."
He sighed. "Oh, I can't believe she told you that!"
"She didn't," Vince said. "Your honey gave you away. Sitting on the table still."
Stuart shook his head. "Right. I've been outted. Might as well confess. I'm having an affaire with Hazel."
Vince laughed, bringing his other hand up to touch Stuart's hair. "Come here and snog me before that image takes root in my mind," he said, leaning over.
Stuart wrapped his fingers around Vince's neck and stroked the short, satiny hairs back there while they kissed each other softly. His lover's lips tasted faintly of chocolate and Stuart sucked the plump bottom one into his mouth, moaning quietly. Vince nuzzled him, fluttering his eyelashes against Stuart's cheek.
"Did you return that bracelet?" Vince whispered.
Stuart gave him a sidelong glance. "Nope," he said, petulantly.
"Why not?"
"I just didn't get to it today. I had other things to do."
Vince turned his lover's head to the side and captured his ear lobe with his teeth, biting just a bit too hard.
"Ouuwwww . . ." Stuart groaned but his cock began to thicken. He loved it when Vince bit him.
"I want you to return that bracelet, Stuart," he growled.
"I will . . ." He tried to turn his head so he could get another kiss, but Vince held him still with his teeth. "Ouch . . ." he said, meaning it.
Vince let go, snickering deviously. "You're such a liar. I know you love that. So, what about the email? Did you check it tonight?"
"Nope."
Vince raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you curious?"
Stuart sighed. "He's YOUR pen pal. You check."
"Oh, fuck off," Vince teased. He snaked his fingers down Stuart's belly and gently snapped the elastic waistband against his skin. "You know you've been thinking about him . . ."
"I have not," he lied, chuckling. "I don't even know who you mean."
Vince gave his lover's hair one last pet as he got up and walked over to the desk. He sat down and turned the computer on, loosening his tie a bit.
Stuart dragged himself off the couch trying to seem like a reluctant participant. He stood behind Vince and pulled his tie the rest of the way off, draping it over his own shoulder. Then he started unbuttoning his lover's work shirt while the email program loaded. They both watched the screen as the program opened, scanning the short list of unread messages.
There at the bottom under a message from Stuart's eldest nephew was Brian Kinney's address.
Vince looked up at him with his brow raised, mischievously. "Well? Should I open it or delete it?"
"Vince," he said, smirking playfully. "Like I said, the little bastard is YOUR pen pal. Do what you like."
"Fine then," Vince said. "Let's just see what our pet American has to say tonight." He clicked the address line and opened the message. Both of them read the single line in silence.
Stuart continued unbuttoning his lover's shirt, making sure to stroke the skin of his torso with every tiny movement. Leaning over, he whispered against the soft shell of Vince's ear. "Well? DO you wanna play?"
"He sent this from work about half an hour ago. It's already half five there. He's probably gone home."
"We won't know unless you reply. Besides, I'm sure he can access his office account from home like I can." Stuart had the shirt open all the way by then and he pressed his naked chest against Vince's shoulders as he reached down for his belt buckle. "Go on, then. Do it."
"I can feel your heart pounding," Vince told him. He looked up with a sexy little smile tugging his lips. "This really excites you. Should I be jealous of this American?"
Stuart held Vince's chin in his hand then slipped his tongue into his mouth, tasting his lover languidly. "If this stupid game is going to bother you, luv, I don't want to play it. I will only get involved in this if YOU want to-and if we both agree that it's all in fun. Absolutely nothing serious about it. The man's in America, Vince. He's too far away to cause us any real problems."
"He can always get on a plane." Vince reached up and pulled Stuart down into his lap. The robe dropped open exposing his tightly muscled torso. "I won't hesitate to maim and murder for you."
Stuart giggled, scooting up on Vince's lap so their bellies touched. "Ooohh . . . my jealous lover . . ." He kissed him wetly, reaching his hands inside the open shirt to stroke Vince's back. "Go on and reply to him. Let's play."
Vince rolled the chair up to the desk and rested his chin on Stuart's shoulder as he typed his reply. Stuart waited, listening to the keys clicking and wondering what his lover was writing. Finally, Vince leaned back and placed his hands on Stuart's hips.
"Read it before I send it," he said, turning the chair slightly to the side so Stuart could see the screen. "I want to make certain we're on the same page with this."
Stuart kissed him again then read what Vince had typed.
Reply To: BrianKinney@Pittserv.com
From: S&V@demon.uk
We'll play if you agree to these rules:
1. This is all in fun. Nothing serious, no one gets hurt. If any one of us becomes uncomfortable, the game is off.
2. The three of us play TOGETHER at all times, no pairing off.
3. This will remain a cybersport. No showing up on each other's doorsteps.
Under cover of these rules, anything goes.
Deal?
*******************
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