Alastair pulled his robe around him. The chill languished, trapped in the low morning fog that yet to burn off. Hidden birds sang their dawn song all around them, making the plants and trees seems as if they were tweeting themselves. Cordain untied his elk-horse from the copse of trees along the creek where it had spent the night. “It gets light our earlier and earlier now. I’m afraid our riskiness is turning to foolishness.” Cordain remarked. Alastair yawned. “Love makes one foolish regardless. I almost wish to be caught just to stop living in fear of being caught.” “You don’t mean that. If we were caught, the punishment…” Alastair grabbed his sleeve. “I would never let them kill you.” “Shhh.” Cordain cupped his jaw. “I know. But don’t let your passion put your life in jeopardy, my butterfly.” Alastair took that moment to steal a kiss. “I won’t. But it’s getting so hard now to keep hiding. Especially now that father and mother have selected a bride for me.” Alastair made a face. “I’m sure she’s lovely.” “She’s a fourth daughter. They’re desperate to marry me.” Cordain kissed the back of Alastair’s hand and reluctantly broke touch. He mounted his elk-horse. “A fourth daughter is better than a half elven bastard son from a disgraced Lord.” “Maybe.” Alastair shrugged. “But I still want you.” Cordain smiled. “I love you, my Prince. Enough that my heart bursts at the sight of you and pains at the thought of leaving you. Every second I get to be with you is the happiest moment of my life.” “Oh Cordain!” Alastair brushed a tear away from his face. “Stop it, this is hard.” “Oh love, I’m sorry to make you weep. You haven’t slept much or eaten. Please go inside before someone sees you out here.” Alastair nodded reluctantly. “I am tired, but I don’t regret it. I never feel satisfied until you’ve bedded me.” “Ok, how am I suppose to depart and leave the flattery behind?” Alastair chuckled softly. “You’ll have to come back to hear more.” “I will be back. Sunday night. Right here.” “Yes. I’ll await you.”
Cordain grabbed the pommel and leaned over for another kiss. “Rest well my Prince.” “Good day, Cordain. Don’t forget to the follow the creek, the tree line will hide your view. Don’t rush.” “I won’t my Prince. Farewell.” Cordain dug his heels in and the elk-horse took off.
Alastair sighed as their presence vanished into the rough edges of the garden into the woods beyond. The castle seemed so far away now, the walk back longer every time. He couldn’t bear it. If only they could be together forever. Then perhaps, Alastair would be waking up just now instead of heading to bed, and he’d be reaching for Cordain and his proud erection instead of being exhausted from it. “Well, I got the gift early, but not without punishment.” The soreness and fatique was beginning to set in. Looked like he was going to be sleeping on his side again.
Then again, Alastair realized, if they could reside together, they’d spoon in bed and Alastair would be on his side anyway. Prince Alastair filled his head with a dreamy scene of a morning spent together with Cordain, and he practically floated back to his room.
Brett sighs. “It really is pretty.” “We did a really great job. It looks like something from a department store,” Khalid says. “I’m glad we used only one color for the lights. Would have been too overwhelming with the ornaments,” Brett comments. “I agree.” They watch the lights twinkle. “Our first Christmas together in our own place,” Brett murmurs. “Is it selfish of me that I’m kind of glad I shouldn’t travel for Christmas, and so I get to spend it with you?” “No, cause if it is, that means I’m selfish too.” Khalid chuckles and kisses Brett on his cheek. “You’re adorable. We can be selfish together.” “Fine by me. You know, when I was a kid, I told myself I wouldn’t wait to open presents. That I’d open them when I got them. But I see the merit in waiting now.” “The presents are part of the decoration,” Khalid says. “Huh. That’s definitely true. But now like, as adults, the fun of Christmas is watching people open stuff you got for them. Like I’m going mental trying not to tell you what I got you.” Khalid points to a package. “Well that one is definitely a vinyl, based on the wrapping.” “Yesss but I can’t tell you which one!” Brett whines. “You better not. I want it to be a surprise.” Brett pats him on the arm. “You will be.”
Khalid looks at Brett. “I can see the lights in your eyes.” “You can?” “Yeah…” Khalid cups Brett’s jaw. “We shouldn’t forget that the most beautiful things are right in front of us.” Brett blushes and leans into the kiss from his boyfriend. “Khalid-” He sighs softly and accepts another. “Mn, I can taste the peppermint marshmallows from the hot chocolate…” “Can you?” “Yeah. Mn don’t stop.” Khalid cups the back of Brett’s head and deepens the intensity of the kiss. Brett puts his hand on Khalid’s chest. Khalid pulls back, a confused look on his face. Brett smiles as he extracts himself from Khalid’s embrace. He stands up and takes a step back so he can sit on the soft. He leans back across it long-way, and crooks a finger in Khalid’s direction. A look of understanding appears on Khalid’s face, and it darkens into lust and desire. He stands up and climbs over Brett’s supine post to straddle his legs. He returns to kissing Brett as the classical music plays in the background. Even if there isn’t much under the tree this year, it doesn’t matter at all. What Khalid wants most is under him, not the tree.
Parker wasn’t super sure about dating a merman at first. They had a reputation for being so demanding, and so very needy. Seafood only diets weren’t cheap either! Better than feeding vampires though. Still.
Parker couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of a naked man run into the surf – which had to be freezing, Jesus christ – and dive in. A moment later, the silhouette changed into the fish shape. Parker heard a distant cry of pleasure mixed in with roar of the waves. Must be so liberating, but poor guy – he’d been so grouchy and itchy lately. At least this way he could rub against the sand and finish molting his scales.
Despite his boyfriend’s many needs, and the large water bill, Parker’d never been happier. He thought back to a few days ago, when they stayed up late – Parker braiding his boyfriend’s hair, making love until 3 am. Apparently mermen get needy before they start molting – who knew? At five months into the relationship, there was still a lot to discover. And many more trips to the ocean to be had.
Parker let him swim. He went to fill two buckets with fresh water for his boyfriend to rinse off with later, and he also checked the cooler full of ice. Supposedly there’d be fresh fish for dinner if the hunt went well. He rubbed his shoulders and numb hands and went back inside the camper to finish repairing that laptop he was fixing. The merman would be in the sea for a while. No need to stand out in the cold barefoot.
Inside the camper, Parker made himself some coffee. He sat at the table and gazed at the window at the broody sea under the slate sky. No sign of his man. But at some point, he’d walk out of the surf…naked…dripping…scales gleaming and freshly polished. His skin would taste of sea water. Muscles would be strong and exercised. His kiss would be hot. No doubt he would pin Parker down and overwhelm him with his dominance and marine scent…
It took Parker a moment to realize he was rubbing his cock through his thermal layer. There was a wet spot. He coughed and undid the buttons before shoving his hand inside, seeking his throbbing and leaking cock. Fuck he hoped no one would be looking in the windows!
Where was he? Oh yeah… being dominated by a successful hunter…
__________________________ Captions are fictional. Fantasy!
Your thumb hovered over the ‘call’ icon. You hadn’t spoken to Lukas in nearly two weeks, since their last date. Well, if you could call it a date. More like just hanging out at a bar. But you found yourself wanting to call Lukas. You’d thought about him on and off over the past few days. There had been a connection between you too, a small spark. Your dates never seemed to go as well as you hoped though. You each were trying to be too perfect for each-other and could never quite relax. Both of you were still seeing other guys too. Not quite really sure what kind of relationship you wanted. Not to mention the fact that you two didn’t live particularly close.
You wonder if calling him meant you wanted to define a potential relationship with Lukas. Maybe you were just thinking too seriously about things. You watch the snow come down in the ray of the lights as if the answer was up there. Fuck, if you don’t move soon you’d have to dig the car out. You glance at your watch. Like it or not, the fact of the matter was that Lukas lives less than fifteen minutes away from the Boise Airport to your thirty five. The fatigue of travel begins to set in. You cave. You call.
It rings twice. “Um. Hello? Ashton?”
“Hey,” you say. “Sorry if I’m calling so late.”
“No it’s fine,” he says. And he says it like he meant it. “What’s up? How are you?” You may be hallucinating but Lukas sounded a bit hopeful even.
You mess with your coat zipper. It’s getting warm in here with the heat on. “I’m alright. Tired. Listen um, I’m at the airport right now. Just got back from a work trip. The snow’s coming down super hard, and I don’t think it’s safe to try and drive to Caldwell. I was gonna get a hotel somewhere in Boise but… you know…I was thinking about you recently, and well. It’s um. You know, I thought I’d ask. You can say no, I mean. I get it.”
“Oh,” Lukas says. There’s noise in the background. You think he’s walking around. It sounds like feet on a wooden floor. Then there’s a rustling noise. “Woah, it is coming down hard. A lot harder than it was earlier. Shit yeah, it’s not safe to be out on the highway in white-out conditions this late. Yeah, please come. I got some left overs from dinner if you’re hungry.”
You exhale. “That’d be amazing. I’m starving. Thank you Lukas, I really appreciate this.”
“Yea no problem. I’ll text you my address ok? Park next to me in the driveway.”
“Ok. Gotcha. See you soon.”
“You too. Bye.”
“Huh.” You dare to say that went well. A little nervous butterfly dances in your chest.
It takes you half an hour to make that short drive. Lukas greets you at the door wearing a bathrobe and sweatpants. The house smells like cinnamon and dinner and the warmth drew you in. You dust off the snow, drop your duffel bag, and a glass of decaf coffee with brandy is thrust into your hand.
Once you collapse into a chair, you never want to get up again. The brandy is like a heating coil in your veins. You have your eyes glued to Lukas in his bathrobe and his visible chest hair as he moves around the kitchen, reheating some food for you.
“Mnn hmm. I was in Chicago. Conference.” You hear yourself say. And some other things. God, is that what he looks like under his coat? Why couldn’t you have met him in the summer? Although, maybe he wouldn’t have that beard in the summer, and he looks good with it…it’s trimmed. But fluffy. You want to run your fingers through it…scratch it…
“Uhhh Ash?”
You blink. “Yeah?”
“You ok?”
“Yeah yeah. Just…worn out.” You stretch and groan. “This brandy is magical.”
Lukas chuckles. “Everyone says Coke and Jack is the best marriage, but brandy and coffee will always be top in my book.”
You raise your glass. “I concur this.”
Lukas gestures. “Come on, food’s ready. While you eat, I’ll prepare your room.”
You nod. You relocate. You eat. It’s delicious – better than the hotel food, conference room food, or airport food. Real rib sticking American cooking. Baked potatoes were grown locally too.
You must have let your guard down and looked particularly enamored, because when Lukas came back in the room you look up at him – and he considers you – and neither of you speak. He raises the corner of his mouth, leans against counter and gestures behind him. “The guest bedroom is made up but ah, if you want to sleep in mine…it’s an option.”
You set down the napkin. “I like that option.”
You are a bit surprised to find out hepreferred to bottom, but despite your exhaustion you take good care of Lukas. He earned it. Your mom taught you how to be a good guest after all and to thank your host for their consideration.
The next morning, you wake up to three feet of snow on the ground with more coming. You pee and go back to bed. You’re not going in to work anyway. Plus you have your duffel from the trip. No need to even go home. So…you don’t.
“Hey…you came.” Courtney yawned. “Of course I did. I had to give you your blanket back.” “You didn’t have to,” Alec said. “You could have kept it.” “I want to. But my parents would know it’s yours. My mom asked you about it on the first day. She’d get suspicious about why I have it.” Alec sighed. “But if you give it back, it means it’s over. I don’t want you to go.” Courtney pressed his lips together to keep his chin from trembling. “I don’t want to either. Dad’s got this whole schedule for the trip…” he waved his hand and trailed off. Alec swallowed hard. Courtney sniffled. They leaned forward and shared a soft kiss, almost not daring to touch at all. Courtney held his denim jacket closed with his fingers to ward off the morning chill. Birds chirped as dawn broke over the desert. They parted. Alec watched Courtney fold the blanket and pass it over. “Here. I’m sorry it’s not uh, clean, I think it still has some of our.. you know on it…” Courtney scuffed his foot in the dust. Aelc took it and held it to his chest. “I don’t care. That night we spent under the stars was beautiful. Nothing about it is gross to me.” Courtney smiled. “I still wish you would keep it though. Cause then I had proof that you were here. Cause once you leave it’ll be like it never happened.” Alec paused. “Fuck.” Courtney hugged him. Alec crushed him back. “I’ll give you something else to remember me by before I leave. And I’ll write.” “Promise?” “Promise.”
Alec exhaled. He looked over his shoulder. “My shift is going to start soon.” “Then I guess this is good bye?” “Well… Good bye then,” Alec said. Courtney scuffed his foot. He looked down and turned to walk away. Alec couldn’t bare it after three steps. “Court?” Courtney turned halfway. “Yeah?” “I love you.” Courtney’s mouth parted. The words stuck to his dry lips and it took a second to loosen them. “I love you too.” Alec’s face lit up. Courtney ran back to his family’s RV, laughing with giddiness.
Later that morning, when they left the camping park, Courtney sat in the back of the camper as it pulled out of the entrance to the RV park. His parents were up front, dad was driving. There were no separate lanes, just a wide dusty path for big turns. Courtney could see Alec was up ahead; he had come out of the welcome booth to watch them go. Courtney got on his knees and squeezed his arm through the slight gap in the window, as far as it would go, hand clutched around something. When the timing was right, Courtney jerked his elbow and a small rectangle went flying.
Alec dove for it. It bounced off his fingertips but he barely caught it before it hit the ground. When he parted his hands, his jaw dropped. It was Madonna’s new cassette tape. The one they’d listened to in the portable, that night, under the stars. They’d talked about it for an hour after. It had blown Alec’s mind. Alec rarely got new music; his family only went to the city with the music store like once or twice a year. Alec clutched his treasure to his chest and watched the RV go until it was just a cloud of dust. There was a tiny corner sticking out of it. He pushed his tears away and opened it. Inside was a white scrap of paper. On it was Courtney’s address and three words. “I was here.”
___________________________________________ Captions are fictional. I’m almost certain this is somewhere near Joshua Tree.
When we got married, we had the small ceremony in an old church in a part of town that was still borderline rural. You faced one way at night and you could see nothing but blackness over the meadows and pastures and cattle fences; if you faced the other you could see the lights of the highway in the far distance. That highway replaced the train line that gave this town its existence. All the business went up on the other side of the highway, where the river was, but not down here. Was all quiet down here. Perfect little place to get married. Just thirty minutes away from the farm your husband Silas grew up on. He was not much of a cattleman, but thankfully, he found computers and they gave him a career.
Still, Silas loved this little church from his childhood. I think besides the actual getting hitched part, it was his favorite part of the wedding. It was aging and dry rotted, held up with lots of nails and many coats of paint. The wind whistled through in places. But it felt holy and sacred to him.
Ten years later, we were back in town to visit his ailing mother and we drove past the church. It was abandoned. All boarded up. Silas was saddened. The land was for sale. The sign was faded and stuck in the corner of the plot. I didn’t say anything and my husband didn’t notice it. When we got home, I called the owner and bought it. Dirt cheap. I gave it to Silas as an anniversary present. We moved back from the city where we were miserable and spent the next couple years renovating it and adding on.
Now it’s our home. The day we were “done” – like, “done done” – the day we could stop fixin’ and start living, Silas paused in the center of the vestibule and put an arm around my waist. Buttons, our fluffball of a dog, looked up at us curiously. “This is our home,” Silas says as he beams with pride. “It is,” I agree. “Our home. “I don’t think I ever thanked you for buying it for me.” “Your happiness is thanks enough.”
I got a squeeze of a hug and a kiss for that. We both paused to admire the work we’ve done.
“Soo…Silas.” “Yes?” “Wanna start a family?”
I wish I had a photo of the expression on his face. I mean, what did he think we built those extra rooms for! In time, we did fill them though. We just took some time for ourselves first in our little church, out there, on the prairie. It still whistled a little, but that was my favorite part.
____________________________ Captions are 100% fictional.
Soft music played from the speakers. The
warm water soothed our yoga-sore muscles. The vitamin E oil in the water
mixed with the rose oils and petals made it feel like we were soaking
in liquid silk. Benedict was reclining against my chest, eyes closed. I
could see the tiny movements of his eyes under his pale lids. I kissed
his temple. He smiled and reached for his wine glass.
These were
the moments I never thought I’d have with Benedict. With a more casual
lover, I would have just broke up with him, but there was no easy with
out of this one. I was smitten, in love. I wanted a life with Benedict,
but one thing had almost been a dealbreaker: his sex drive.
Benedict’s
sex drive simply did not have an off button. He craved sex frequently
and fervently. He seized upon any instance to touch, stroke, suck, or
put my dick inside of him. After being with him for a while, I began to
see two distinct patterns. One was just random horniness that needed to
be soothed, usually in the morning. The other was a side-effect of
exposure. He couldn’t see me change, or catch a glimpse of me in the
shower without getting hard and wanting to turn it into sex. If Benedict
saw my bulge while I watched TV in my boxer briefs, he had to try and
turn it into sex. Don’t get me started on swim trunks. We had a talk
about it more than once.
I hated letting him down, and leaving
him frustrated, especially because surprisingly Benedict wasn’t a big
fan of masturbation. He didn’t like the way it made him feel. He felt
stupid, and kind of gross, especially after, so he tended to ignore his
urges until they were pent up. As long as he had a boyfriend, Benedict
did not see the point of self-pleasure. However, he was wearing me out.
Also sex wasn’t really appropriate or possible in some instances, which
lead to stress in our relationship. What drove me crazy thought was
that I could see the potentional of our relationship underneath the
river of hormones, I just couldn’t dive down deep enough without being
swept away. Benedict wanted to cuddle. He wanted to be romantic. He
wanted to go on dates, and have fun, without bringing sex into
everything. Benedict told me once he wished he could see nude bodies in
museums the way artists did, instead of how perverts did.
That’s
when I realized Benedict knew that he was out of control himself, but
was too embarrassed to confess. So, I decided to take the Big Step
Forward in our relationship and assert myself. I locked his cock up in a
pretty metal cage. No pesky erections. No distraction. No masturbation.
Turns out, that his rampant hunger to be fucked only reared itself when
he was fully hard and ready to go. So as long as it was locked down,
his sex drive only simmered. It was much more manageable. The orgasms I
gave him were more powerful and lasted longer. Plus, Benedict found it
fun to postpone his orgasms until I could give him a really big one. When he thought to beg for sex, he found himself pausing, remembering the
fun of preferring long nights in the bedroom with toys and torment instead of
quickies.
Slowly, we began to enjoy the rebirth of our
relationship. Here we were in a scene I never thought possible: we were
having a bath. That’s it. Just a bath, both of us, completely nude (well, him locked),
completely wet, and Benedict’s hand was no where near my cock. He was
sipping his wine and just relaxing. It was wonderful to just be us. I mean, we went to yoga as a couple today, and Benedict was an angel. He got to stare at my ass and didn’t get an embarrassing public boner. Everyone wins.
I
put my arms around his waist. Now, I could see a future together. The
same key that locks the chastity cage can also be used to open the key
to a boy’s heart.
_______________ Text is fictional. I might have posted this before, but it was sitting in drafts, so I’m not entirely sure.
That moment of knowing that your fears are totally unfounded, that your trust in him has paid off, is bliss. When a slow song comes on, and all he wants is to cuddle you skin to skin? Bliss. To be shirtless in a throbbing gay club and he hasn’t flirted with anyone else? Bliss. Confidence. Trust. Reassurance. He’s definitely yours. He definitely likes you, like a lot. No need to worry anymore. No reason for paranoia or jealousy. All the evidence you need is right in front of you. You wrap your arms around him and kiss the top of his head. You tell you that you love him, although you’re sure he can’t hear it over the music.
Caleb mulled this over in his head for the millionth time. This was either going to be a new beginning for his partner Hank, or Caleb was going to end up in a studio apartment with a new dog. One or the other. Caleb gave the puppy a scritch. “Either way, I’ll take care of you.” The puppy licked his hand. It was hard to be logical with a face that cute.
Caleb also knew that getting pets as gifts was a bad idea, but he assured himself it wasn’t exactly impromptu. Hank had told him he wanted a dog one day. He still had a photo in their room of his childhood dog, T-bone. Their lives as a couple had been so turbulent lately. Going to the MIddle East had been a bad idea for a young man already stamping down trauma from sexual abuse in his teens. It had just made things so much worse when Hank came home. Caleb barely recognized him.
Hank tried though to get better, and Caleb still loved him even though he was broken. He wanted to help. Caleb wanted someone there when he had to work and Hank felt alone. Caleb had read another story of a man who had escaped depression with a pup. This had to work.
Caleb pulled in the driveway. He texted Hank. “You here right?”
A long moment passed. Caleb wondered if he’d been in the bathroom.
“Yeah why?” Hank typed back. “Good. I got a surprise for you.” “Should I come out?” The response was a bit quicker this time. “No I’ll come in.” “???”
Caleb turned off the truck. “Alright, Eugena, ready to go meet your new Daddy?” The puppy’s tail wagged. Caleb picked her up and she squirmed in his hands. “Alright, Batgirl, hold still now.” Caleb got out of the cab and shoved his phone into his pocket. “Alright, alright.”
Caleb came in the house. “Hank?” “Yeah?” “Come here, I want you to meet someone.” Caleb heard the footballs. Hank came around the corner from the kitchen and stopped. He stared at Caleb, and at Eugena, dumbfounded. “…You got a dog?” he whispered. “I got you a dog,” Caleb corrected. He set the puppy down and pointed. “Go on, go say hi.”
Hank got down on a knee. “Come here, baby.” Eugena was a smart girl. She bolted over and Hank scooped her up. “Hello! Aren’t you precious? Oh my god you are so precious. Aww yes, hi…” Hank leaned against the wall of the hallway, body folded around the small dog licking his face. “You are so precious… oh Caleb, I can’t believe this. She’s perfect!” Hank hugged her.
Caleb watched Hank’s shoulders hitch and he realized his partner was crying. Caleb found himself pushing tears of his own out of his eyes. “She’s pretty cute,” Caleb said. “I love her so much. Oh Caleb, thank you thank you. She’s so warm.”
Caleb sniffled. “I’m not sure you’ll be thanking me when you have to house break her, but …she should keep you company and give you structure when I’m here. She’ll keep you safe.” “She’s perfect,” Hank repeated. “What’s her name?” “Well, the shelter called her Eugena.” “mmm. I think we can keep that for now. Oof, you sure do like giving kisses.” Hank looked at Caleb. “Thank you. More than you’ll ever know. I love you and appreciate you, and I am so glad you stick with me even when i suck.” “You don’t suck. Your brain is making you think you suck. We’re gonna fix that.” Caleb smiled and went to go get tissues. He was feeling flushed with success. Caleb didn’t know that while he was gone, Hank was thinking of going into the garage and running the car. He was just thinking of ending everything. That’s why there’d been a long pause. Hank was on the way to the garage, when his phone dinged, and Hank made the decision to answer it.
In the weeks, and months, that followed, Hank began to feel he made the right choice by looking at his phone. It was a decision he dwelled on even years down the road, like when Eugena became the ring bearer at their wedding. Hank couldn’t fathom not being around for moments like this. I mean, you couldn’t believe how cute that dog was with a flower crown on. Oh, and Caleb was not bad looking in a suit either.
________________________________ Captions are fictional.
“Omar?” “Yeah?” “I know it’s like ten days away… but like…would you come home with me for Christmas?” Omar looked at his boyfriend. “You’re going to have speak up a little. You’re talking to the floor, love.” Mark rubbed the back of his neck. “I just um. Wanted to know, if like, you’d come home with me for Christmas?” Omar parted his lips in surprise. “Oh baby. Really? You want me to go home with you?” “I just – my mom cooks so much food, and I hated leaving you here alone last year and I want you there and – I want you to meet my parents.” Omar crushed Mark in a hug. “Yes! yes I want to go! I’m really happy you asked. I was hoping you’d ask me, I mean. I was really sad about being stuck here over Christmas without you.” Mark cupped Omar’s face in his hands. “It didn’t feel right to me either. You’re such an important part of my life. It’d really be so lovely.” Omar was smiling. “I’m really happy you asked.” “I was sooo nervous,” Mark admitted. He nuzzled Omar. “Do I give you butterflies?” “Yes. Yes you do.” Omar pulled back a little so he could reposition for a kiss. Mark read his actions easily and pressed their lips together. “mmmn….” Mark slid an arm behind Omar’s back. The city hummed with noise all around them. Thousands of people in a million rooms. But Mark felt like he was alone, floating in space, with Omar by his side. Love really could make you feel weightless. Mark couldn’t believe Omar said yes. And now he got to take him home, and show him off to his family. His dad kept pestering him about this anyway. Mark just hoped his mom didn’t bring up marriage and kids and embarrass the hell out of them…
