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h_h_gothrykkeTonight's fare is the continuing saga of Charlie Gardotte.
Summary: In a world where first contact was made in the early sixties, the lone survivor of Earth’s first meeting with an Extra Terrestrial has been raised a virtual celebrity. The appeal of his good looks and easy charm hold no sway for Charlie Gardotte. While his family’s obsession with the alien hero was nothing unique, the neglect caused by this was. Charlie wanted no part of this cultish fascination, going so far as to cut all ties with anyone who tries to change his opinion.
Not every story has a romantic beginning. When Charlie met Harrison, it wasn’t some grand cosmic alignment; bells and thunder never resounded. There was just something about the man’s disheveled appearance that made everything in this moment feel real. He never questioned his luck; it never occurred to him to think it might be fate or some such nonsense. He was just Charlie, and Harrison, well…
An Average Joe...In Love
Part 2: Questionable Unions - Chapter 5.
Paperwork in hand, Charlie tried to clear his eyes enough to read the instructions. It was kinda important for the after-treatment care. There was a scheduled follow-up in the six reams of paper they had printed for him, but he couldn't see enough to find it. Hell, he had barely heard the doctor when she went over his instructions. It hadn't really registered to him, nothing sank him after she had told him he was going to be fine.
To be truthful, he had known there wasn't anything wrong with him. They had told him three days ago it was just a mild concussion and minor case of dehydration. If he hadn't insurance, he wouldn't have been in here this long. That, and he suspected Harrison or Michael, maybe, had been a little insistent. Michael's badge might have carried some weight.
More than likely, it had been his brother. Still, he suspected his...husband had been behind his lingering care.
Charlie smiled.
Standing in the doorway, his hair still damp from a quick run through his room's shower, Harrison stood with his head and shoulders ducked. His fingers were tucked in the pockets of his jeans as he stared in the floor's general direction. It wasn't clear what he was thinking about, but it had to be something important.
Maybe he was thinking about them. More than likely, he was thinking over the past week. Did he feel like Charlie, that his life before meeting the other man was a distant memory? Did he want to feel that way?
It had been a happy few days. That was one hell of an understatement. Yet, Charlie felt more secure, more...whole, than he had in years. Having Harrison in his life was fast becoming an accepted fact. Even if they only had friendship, Charlie didn't think he wanted to back to the life without the big guy in it.
That was funny in itself. Charlie still thought of Harrison as 'the big guy'. It was only one of his many features, but to him, it was the most memorable. Having someone that large hold him made Charlie feel safe. At this point, feeling safe was more important than the other features.
He hoped the man wasn't regretting their association. Now that they'd had a few days to calm down and think about life, maybe he had been more trouble than he was worth. He had spent the majority of their relationship to this point unconscious. That was certainly a buzz kill on his part.
Michael chose this time to remind them he was still in the room by clearing his throat.
Eyes to the ceiling, Charlie sighed. Of course, he couldn't forget about the elephant in the room. Turning to face his brother, he folded the papers in half. The sight of the blue uniform shirt and white pants was like a warning beacon in the hospital room. He had just got off work, but still, he could have changed before coming to pick them up.
If there was a way to make his life harder, even a little bit, Michael was going to do it. He was the perfect brother, after all.
Touching his hat, Michael grinned at Charlie. "If you're ready, your chariot awaits, my liege."
It was only seven and already he wanted to punch his brother square in the balls. Patently ignoring the comments, he grabbed the clear, drawstring bag they provided and stuffed his paperwork in along side the socks and his pilfered box of tissues. They were like sandpaper and were thin as that tissue paper in gift bags, but damn it, it was a box of tissues. He frowned, wondering if the two types of tissue paper were related.
Oh well, it was a mystery for another day.
As he placed his feet on the floor, Harrison moved in close. The man held out his hand in offering and Charlie stared at it for a moment. Smiling, he placed his own in it and sighed when it was grasped tight. That warm fluttering of safety returned to his chest, wrapping him in a sense of well being. He knew everything would work out okay for them if Harrison held his hand through it.
The feeling was obviously mutual. As he stared back, Harrison's pupils dilated and his cheeks darkened. His ears grew bright red and he quickly looked away.
Michael cleared his throat with a quiet retching sound.
Sighing, Charlie stood up and threw his bag at Michael. It hit the idiot with a little more force than was playful, but god damn it, he didn't make noises when he and Barb were courting. It had been a short courtship that ended in a shotgun wedding, but, still, a little fucking courtesy here, please!
~~~
His back hurt from days of laying in bed, making it difficult to find a comfortable position. Sitting the front seat of Michael's police cruiser wasn't the way he wanted to see Gotjam again after all these friggen years. It could be worse. Glancing over his shoulder, he grinned through the cage at Harrison's sour expression.
Cheeks lined in what was becoming a permanent scowl, his lips pursed at Charlie's stare. His arms were folded over his chest, making the well-toned pecs flex under his tanktop and button-up. "This is the last time I let you decide who we ride with."
"From where I'm sitting, that's an empty promise." Sticking his tongue out, Charlie enjoyed a moment of immaturity. He was riding in a police cruiser and he wasn't under arrest, that set his still-young brain to all kinds of giddiness. It wasn't that long ago he had been threatened with the back seat by his father.
Walter wasn't on the force, but two of his brothers were and so his father had been too. Michael was keeping up the legacy in the grand tradition of flat-footed Bennetts.
Charlie grinned at his brother, bright and wide.
For his part, Michael rolled his eyes with a low groan. "God, no wonder Barb wants to see you dead." He snickered, but kept his focus on the road around them.
It was necessary too. It was nine in the morning, and already the skyway was filled. Traffic wasn't bad, people were maintaining the speed limit and being courteous drivers. That probably had a lot to do with the cruiser.
Sitting there watching the people glance nervously in their mirrors or out their windows at them, gave Charlie a small thrill. He tried to keep his face blank, but the stupid grin was returning. Maybe this is what Michael felt all the time. Well, not all the time. He had to get out of the car and write tickets too. Traffic stops could be nervous events if you were dealing with a psycho. Still, he couldn't help glancing at the siren controls next to the dashcomputer.
"You touch it and I break your fucking fingers, dickwad!"
Well, there was only one response to that beyond a disappointed sigh. Charlie readily flipped his brother off before turning to stare out the windows. Over the cement road barriers was the city.
Cloaked in a gray haze from the morning's rain, the city shown white and silver from the massive buildings that towered over the heart of downtown. Their black windows diffused the dim morning light and would actually make the streets below darker. Decades old brownstones filled the surrounding streets out into the suburbs. Walter had always wanted one and wouldn't shut up about it. His father owned one on the north-side.
He kept looking, ignoring the row housing. It was the individual places that drew Charlie's eyes. Cinder blocks buildings, parking structures, and the occasional box store filled the gaps. They were all beautiful structures. Gotjam had a massive maintenance budget thanks citizen coordinated fundraising events.
Flowing through it all, with stations like sprouting tendrils from a strangling vine, was the Mag-Lift. Their only claim at mass-transit, it went every where. That hadn't always been true.
He could still remember the protests when the city busses were discontinued. Heavy vehicle traffic was destroying the streets and underground utility lines. It was an aspect many city planners never thought of a century ago. To combat it, a citizen initiative had banned vehicles over a certain weight. Everything had been effected, from delivery trucks to school buses.
While that seemed like a good idea at the time, it had been at the cost of the lower class, like most changes. Alice had been one of the major opponents of the initiative in their burb. Charlie frowned at that memory. She and Chip had fought about it, like they did everything. When her side lost, Alice had taken it like a personal defeat. Come to think of it, Charlie could recall only vaguely, but that might have been the last time Alice had a strong opinion about...anything really.
Gotjam was now a more beautiful place and healthier for it, but it had still hurt people. Their had been one major compromise: the ABC Line. It made stops at every station and cost nothing to ride, since it was only for kids in school. Riding through the city every morning on a speeding magnet had made the city magical.
It was a silly notion, even for a kid of seven.
Seeing the familiar skyline soothed an ache in Charlie's chest he had dimly been aware of. As they passed over the artery leading towards downtown and Harrison's motel, he watched a Mag-Lift train shoot past below. It was only when he pressed against the glass that he realized how mesmerized by it all he had become. Snickering, he shifted in his seat again.
~~~
The Caryton Arms was a three-story gilded dog kennel. It ran five rooms in two directions off the main stairwell. There was no elevator. Each room was barely ten-by-ten with an en suite bath/shower. Inside and out, brass painted metal and gleaming glass features, it was the most gaudy piece of shit motel to be had on the north-side.
Staring at it from the outside, Charlie had no doubt his husband was being ripped off. No matter how he tried, he couldn't summon his eyebrows down from his hairline. They would probably be stuck there for the next week until rescue choppers could get to them.
He took a deep breath and twisted to face Harrison. What he found was a shy, hopeful expression.
Harrison was anxious about his response. If this was the best he could do, the poor man was going to be eaten alive when it came to looking for a new place.
One thing was for certain, there was no way in hell Charlie was staying here, even for the night. Reaching out, he patted Harrison on the forearm. "We'll go looking for a new place tomorrow."
Hanging his head, Harrison barked with embarrassed laughter. He shook his head in mock-sorrow before looking back to Charlie. There was a twinkle in his eye. "So, I take it, you're not coming up?"
"No. Not in a million years." His skin was crawling from the roaches he knew which had to be infesting the place. Something this tacky looking screamed of filth. It was obvious the big guy needed him for more than just a convenient hole. "Get a rental from Horto-Scope three blocks over on Veneer Court. Use your room key as proof of residence for a five-percent discount. Then come pick me up, the address is on the back of Michael's card."
Speaking of which, he needed to make sure Harrison still had it. Using his index and middle fingers, he stuffed them down the man's front pocket. Harrison gasped under his touch, thrusting his hips closer. Digging around for the card, Charlie found plenty, even something that got bigger under his touch. He was studying it, 'trying to identify what he had found', when he heard him gasp. Tongue in his cheek, he winked up at the big guy.
Michael honked his horn.
Harrison jumped back, wide-eyed and flushed. This action tore Charlie's fingers from his pocket. He whipped his head around to stare at the cruiser, hands coming up to cover the now prominent bulge in his jeans.
Charlie was less panicky in his reactions. Casting a side-glance at his brother, he shook out his now sore fingers. "Fucking cockblock!" It was just like high school again. Only instead of a curious running back kitted out in full uniform and pads before homecoming, he was being interrupted while fingering his husband!
Said cock block honked his horn again. This time he bipped his siren once for added emphasis.
Well, he was certainly glad he had a niece and a nephew. 'cause this, this was now a thing, Charlie was definitely going to castrate him.
Hesitantly, Harrison moved in close again. This time, he placed his body flush against Charlie's. It brought them together, but also held his still hard cock against the smaller man's belly. Head bent forward, he smiled languidly. "I'm going to miss you."
"It's only for tonight. We spent longer periods apart." Like the twenty-one years he waited to meet the guy. Charlie winced, almost smacking himself for being such a tweenage girl! Sighing, he quickly stood on the tips of his toes and pecked Harrison's lips. It was hardly a brush of lips, but the touch burned his skin like the touch of a match. Face flushed, he licked the man's lips before dropping back down.
His thighs clenched and he wanted to wrap them around this guy's waist. Gritting his teeth, he had to fight the urge, the need to bite the man's neck. Heat coursed through him, pooling in his groin and behind his belly button. Charlie started to pant. God, he wanted to be fucked right here and now!
Part of this must have shown on his face because Harrison looked stunned as he pulled back. Face stuck, eyes unfocused, his jaw hung open. The man was clearly in no state to be making any decisions.
Deciding to take pity on the man, Charlie ran a hand down the front of his body, over his sculpted abs, to stop at the top of his pants. The urge to sink lower and drag the zipper with him was strong. Yet, he resisted. "Think of me in the shower, my lips on your dick, my mouth sucking you down. Hot, wet heat, squeezing you from all directions." Did he say pity, he meant screw with his mind some more.
"For fuck's sake, Charlie, the dashcam's catching everything you say!" That was Michael, interrupting again, and on the loud speaker, no less.
"I'm going to jail. I'm going to kill my brother and they are going to lock me away." Pulling away, Charlie sucked a quick breath through his teeth, then licked his lips. "Until tomorrow, baby." He flicked Harrison's dick, ignoring the still stunned expression, and walked back to the car. And if his hips swayed a little, he was just being friendly.
Once he reached the cruiser, he found Michael just staring at him.
He looked a little shell-shocked himself. Mouth open, he swallowed a couple times while he watched Charlie climb in. "I can't believe you did that. I thought you had more dignity than that."
Charlie shrugged as he reached for the belt. Maybe he was a closet slut all these years. He glanced out the window, finding Harrison still standing there, the front of his jeans tented enough that the waist pulled away from his body. His groin clenched and he whimpered. God, he had forgotten just how fucking big the guy was.
"Jesus Christ! That's...that's obscene. Please tell me you didn't..." Michael trailed off with a gasp. "Shit." Turning the ignition, he snorted. "No fucking wonder you love that guy."
"I'm not in love." But sure in hell was in heat. Tugging at the collar of shirt, Charlie tried to cool down. "I don't know what it is, but when things aren't blowing up around us, all I can think about is riding that man like a..."
"Dashcam, Charlie, damn it!" Tapping the large box behind the dashcomputer, Michael glared at his brother. "You've already given them enough fodder to ride my ass for a week." Then he winced. "Shit, that's not what I meant. I'm deleting this whole day when we get home." With that, he threw the cruiser into gear and pulled away from the curb.
Letting him drive, Charlie turned to face his husband again. He was growing more comfortable with that word. Just thinking about it made him want to smile. Waving a final time at Harrison, he smiled at the man.
Harrison had one hand tugging the front of his shirt down over his pants, and waved with the other.
It was nice knowing he had that effect on someone.
"So, what exactly did you mean by 'things blowing up'?"
Closing his eyes, Charlie let his head drop against the window. He would have to catch that slipup.
~~~
It was raining outside the apartment window. Near six in the evening, Charlie had been sitting under it off and on since they got here. He didn't want to call the place home. Hopefully, he wouldn't be spending more than a few days. The place was quiet at the moment, but that wouldn't last.
The toys were picked up, and the kitchen wiped down, but there was enough trace evidence to tell the full story. There were two young kids who lived here with parents who worked full-time. A wall full of crayon scribblings in his temporary room told him where the kids slept when home.
Which is why the place was quiet at the moment. Barb was out with her mother. She hadn't said when she would return, but he got the feeling she was staying with her mother tonight.
Michael was in the bathroom, getting ready for the graveyard shift. The smell of his spray deodorant had wafted through the apartment.
Closing his eyes, Charlie could picture himself back when they shared a room. Michael had liked that stinky shit back then too. Little had changed in that regard. Back then, there hadn't been a lotta money, four younger siblings sucked every spare penny. Michael had worked his ass off to save for community college. He didn't date much until senior year, so they had relied on each other.
And look how that had turned out. His first date with the social butterfly of their school and he ended with two kids, a two year lease on a dump, and a third shift job in one of the worst neighborhoods.
He should have stuck to his right hand and porno mags. If it wasn't for the odd-curious encounter in locker rooms, Charlie woulda been a celibate monk in high school. Even if his brother had prevented him from getting past second base, he still got some action.
No matter, he loved Michael and forgave him. He would not forgive that tramp and her 'pro-life' bullshit. She'd been on the abortion bandwagon long before she got knocked up. She couldn't blame Michael or Charlie for ruining her life, that had been an active decision she made.
Leather soles slapped against the tiled floor leading from the master bedroom. Stepping into the kitchen with his uniform shirt and pants undone, Michael was fixing his collar. His tie hung haphazardly over one shoulder and his hair was in terrible disarray. Dark rings circled his eyes from lack of sleep and he yawned to prove it wasn't a fashion statement.
Taking this all in, Charlie smiled fondly at the other man. Pain in his chest made him wince and he blinked back tears. Looking away, he wished for a cup of tea or soda to give his hand something to hold. "Your dinner's packed in your lunchbox, I made you some punch in the thermos."
Scratching his belly, Michael paused mid-yawn. He opened one eye to stare back at Charlie. His tiny smile was enough of an answer. Then he had to go one step further. "You're going to make Harrison a great wife and mother when you pop out your own brood."
"Such a charmer. And you wondered why no one ever wanted to fuck you." Rolling his eyes, Charlie went back to staring out the window. He needed the space between them to admit the next decision. "I've been thinking about getting a full-time position, putting off finishing college for a year or two." It wasn't a decision that was going to go over well.
And it didn't.
"Oh, you have, have you? And what kinda position are you thinking of taking, on all fours, or on your back, legs spread?"
Charlie winced at the mocking tone. Frowning, he blinked off the sudden stinging in his eyes. He sniffed. "It's not like that. I don't have the money..."
Michael interrupted with a snort. "To what? To piss away your future? Because that's what you're doing!" Storming into the living room, Michael stomped his way until he was standing before Charlie. "For fuck's sake, you haven't even finished your third year! What kinda job do you think is going to take you, a college dropout? You can't survive on minimum wage, and mailroom clerks need a Bachelor's at least, these days!" With a violent jerk, he pointed out the window. "There's not a fucking paradise waiting over the Mag-Lift tracks, it's another worker's burb, just like this one, and just like the one we grew up in! It costs money to live in this shit hovel and I earn twice what dad does!"
He flinched at every angry point. Unable to meet Michael's gaze, he stared at his shiny shoes.
In the silence that followed, Michael's heavy breathing was as harsh as his statements. Sighing, he took the two steps forward between them and dragged Charlie from the chair to rest against him.
Wrapping his arms around Michael's waist, he buried his faced in his brother's stomach. His tears stained the white shirt, turning it see-through. He didn't realize he was trembling until Michael began to pat his back. "I love you, Michael."
"I love you too, little shit." He began to stroke Charlie's shoulders slowly. "I'm worried about your future. I don't want you ending up like Walter and Alice. It's already bad enough that I'm on the fast track."
Something that had been bothering him occurred to Charlie. His brother had been spending every moment with him for the past three days. Barb hadn't called once. "When did she leave?"
There was only silence and Michael's stroking his back and neck.
"Was it because I called?" The hands stilled, then started stroking his spine in round, soothing motions. Facing falling, Charlie clenched his brother tighter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you again."
"Hey, don't mind her, she's a bitch anyways." Michael's laugh was only half-forced. "I only stayed with her because of the kids. The court tends to rule against cops on custody in divorces." Shaking his head, he laughed again. "Hell, the real reason you haven't seen Dot? I'm not even sure she's mine."
Wincing for him made Charlie a little sad for his brother's state of existence. He had known things weren't perfect, but he didn't think they were this bad. Though, he wouldn't deny being relieved that they had broken up. She wasn't good enough for Michael.
Nuzzling Michael's stomach, he poked him with his nose. When the man jerked under his touch, he grinned.
"Don't even think about it. As a matter of fact, you're not going to spend the entire night moping in my apartment." He smacked Charlie on the back of the head to keep him from nuzzling him again. "This semester is a bust, you'll be forgiven by any university given that your school burned down and the display of theatrics. Next year, however, is a new deal. You're going to college, and you will finish."
He considered letting go, but it had already gone too far. Michael knew all his weak points. "Uh, I think that's not going to happen. The degree I was going for was pretty much exclusive to CUET."
"So go for a new fucking major, think, moron!" He finger-walked his hands down Charlie's back towards his arm pits. "In the meantime, you're going to scour the internet for jobs you're qualified for. That alien biology planet sciency bullshit degree you were going for has to be of some use. You get an entry level position now, and by the time you graduate, you'll be secure enough to nest with your giant lover and pop out extra-large babies for him."
Charlie pulled back to glare at his brother. "What is your obsession with me having kids with Harrison? That's not natural, I think you should seek professional help."
"Hey, I have two kids, can't you see how happy I am?" Then he went for the kill! Wiggling his fingers under Charlie's arms, Michael freed himself and sent his brother to shrieking.
TBC
© 2013 Heinrich Gothrykke, all rights reserved.
For all previous chapters: CLICK HERE
Summary: In a world where first contact was made in the early sixties, the lone survivor of Earth’s first meeting with an Extra Terrestrial has been raised a virtual celebrity. The appeal of his good looks and easy charm hold no sway for Charlie Gardotte. While his family’s obsession with the alien hero was nothing unique, the neglect caused by this was. Charlie wanted no part of this cultish fascination, going so far as to cut all ties with anyone who tries to change his opinion.
Not every story has a romantic beginning. When Charlie met Harrison, it wasn’t some grand cosmic alignment; bells and thunder never resounded. There was just something about the man’s disheveled appearance that made everything in this moment feel real. He never questioned his luck; it never occurred to him to think it might be fate or some such nonsense. He was just Charlie, and Harrison, well…
Part 2: Questionable Unions - Chapter 5.
Paperwork in hand, Charlie tried to clear his eyes enough to read the instructions. It was kinda important for the after-treatment care. There was a scheduled follow-up in the six reams of paper they had printed for him, but he couldn't see enough to find it. Hell, he had barely heard the doctor when she went over his instructions. It hadn't really registered to him, nothing sank him after she had told him he was going to be fine.
To be truthful, he had known there wasn't anything wrong with him. They had told him three days ago it was just a mild concussion and minor case of dehydration. If he hadn't insurance, he wouldn't have been in here this long. That, and he suspected Harrison or Michael, maybe, had been a little insistent. Michael's badge might have carried some weight.
More than likely, it had been his brother. Still, he suspected his...husband had been behind his lingering care.
Charlie smiled.
Standing in the doorway, his hair still damp from a quick run through his room's shower, Harrison stood with his head and shoulders ducked. His fingers were tucked in the pockets of his jeans as he stared in the floor's general direction. It wasn't clear what he was thinking about, but it had to be something important.
Maybe he was thinking about them. More than likely, he was thinking over the past week. Did he feel like Charlie, that his life before meeting the other man was a distant memory? Did he want to feel that way?
It had been a happy few days. That was one hell of an understatement. Yet, Charlie felt more secure, more...whole, than he had in years. Having Harrison in his life was fast becoming an accepted fact. Even if they only had friendship, Charlie didn't think he wanted to back to the life without the big guy in it.
That was funny in itself. Charlie still thought of Harrison as 'the big guy'. It was only one of his many features, but to him, it was the most memorable. Having someone that large hold him made Charlie feel safe. At this point, feeling safe was more important than the other features.
He hoped the man wasn't regretting their association. Now that they'd had a few days to calm down and think about life, maybe he had been more trouble than he was worth. He had spent the majority of their relationship to this point unconscious. That was certainly a buzz kill on his part.
Michael chose this time to remind them he was still in the room by clearing his throat.
Eyes to the ceiling, Charlie sighed. Of course, he couldn't forget about the elephant in the room. Turning to face his brother, he folded the papers in half. The sight of the blue uniform shirt and white pants was like a warning beacon in the hospital room. He had just got off work, but still, he could have changed before coming to pick them up.
If there was a way to make his life harder, even a little bit, Michael was going to do it. He was the perfect brother, after all.
Touching his hat, Michael grinned at Charlie. "If you're ready, your chariot awaits, my liege."
It was only seven and already he wanted to punch his brother square in the balls. Patently ignoring the comments, he grabbed the clear, drawstring bag they provided and stuffed his paperwork in along side the socks and his pilfered box of tissues. They were like sandpaper and were thin as that tissue paper in gift bags, but damn it, it was a box of tissues. He frowned, wondering if the two types of tissue paper were related.
Oh well, it was a mystery for another day.
As he placed his feet on the floor, Harrison moved in close. The man held out his hand in offering and Charlie stared at it for a moment. Smiling, he placed his own in it and sighed when it was grasped tight. That warm fluttering of safety returned to his chest, wrapping him in a sense of well being. He knew everything would work out okay for them if Harrison held his hand through it.
The feeling was obviously mutual. As he stared back, Harrison's pupils dilated and his cheeks darkened. His ears grew bright red and he quickly looked away.
Michael cleared his throat with a quiet retching sound.
Sighing, Charlie stood up and threw his bag at Michael. It hit the idiot with a little more force than was playful, but god damn it, he didn't make noises when he and Barb were courting. It had been a short courtship that ended in a shotgun wedding, but, still, a little fucking courtesy here, please!
~~~
His back hurt from days of laying in bed, making it difficult to find a comfortable position. Sitting the front seat of Michael's police cruiser wasn't the way he wanted to see Gotjam again after all these friggen years. It could be worse. Glancing over his shoulder, he grinned through the cage at Harrison's sour expression.
Cheeks lined in what was becoming a permanent scowl, his lips pursed at Charlie's stare. His arms were folded over his chest, making the well-toned pecs flex under his tanktop and button-up. "This is the last time I let you decide who we ride with."
"From where I'm sitting, that's an empty promise." Sticking his tongue out, Charlie enjoyed a moment of immaturity. He was riding in a police cruiser and he wasn't under arrest, that set his still-young brain to all kinds of giddiness. It wasn't that long ago he had been threatened with the back seat by his father.
Walter wasn't on the force, but two of his brothers were and so his father had been too. Michael was keeping up the legacy in the grand tradition of flat-footed Bennetts.
Charlie grinned at his brother, bright and wide.
For his part, Michael rolled his eyes with a low groan. "God, no wonder Barb wants to see you dead." He snickered, but kept his focus on the road around them.
It was necessary too. It was nine in the morning, and already the skyway was filled. Traffic wasn't bad, people were maintaining the speed limit and being courteous drivers. That probably had a lot to do with the cruiser.
Sitting there watching the people glance nervously in their mirrors or out their windows at them, gave Charlie a small thrill. He tried to keep his face blank, but the stupid grin was returning. Maybe this is what Michael felt all the time. Well, not all the time. He had to get out of the car and write tickets too. Traffic stops could be nervous events if you were dealing with a psycho. Still, he couldn't help glancing at the siren controls next to the dashcomputer.
"You touch it and I break your fucking fingers, dickwad!"
Well, there was only one response to that beyond a disappointed sigh. Charlie readily flipped his brother off before turning to stare out the windows. Over the cement road barriers was the city.
Cloaked in a gray haze from the morning's rain, the city shown white and silver from the massive buildings that towered over the heart of downtown. Their black windows diffused the dim morning light and would actually make the streets below darker. Decades old brownstones filled the surrounding streets out into the suburbs. Walter had always wanted one and wouldn't shut up about it. His father owned one on the north-side.
He kept looking, ignoring the row housing. It was the individual places that drew Charlie's eyes. Cinder blocks buildings, parking structures, and the occasional box store filled the gaps. They were all beautiful structures. Gotjam had a massive maintenance budget thanks citizen coordinated fundraising events.
Flowing through it all, with stations like sprouting tendrils from a strangling vine, was the Mag-Lift. Their only claim at mass-transit, it went every where. That hadn't always been true.
He could still remember the protests when the city busses were discontinued. Heavy vehicle traffic was destroying the streets and underground utility lines. It was an aspect many city planners never thought of a century ago. To combat it, a citizen initiative had banned vehicles over a certain weight. Everything had been effected, from delivery trucks to school buses.
While that seemed like a good idea at the time, it had been at the cost of the lower class, like most changes. Alice had been one of the major opponents of the initiative in their burb. Charlie frowned at that memory. She and Chip had fought about it, like they did everything. When her side lost, Alice had taken it like a personal defeat. Come to think of it, Charlie could recall only vaguely, but that might have been the last time Alice had a strong opinion about...anything really.
Gotjam was now a more beautiful place and healthier for it, but it had still hurt people. Their had been one major compromise: the ABC Line. It made stops at every station and cost nothing to ride, since it was only for kids in school. Riding through the city every morning on a speeding magnet had made the city magical.
It was a silly notion, even for a kid of seven.
Seeing the familiar skyline soothed an ache in Charlie's chest he had dimly been aware of. As they passed over the artery leading towards downtown and Harrison's motel, he watched a Mag-Lift train shoot past below. It was only when he pressed against the glass that he realized how mesmerized by it all he had become. Snickering, he shifted in his seat again.
~~~
The Caryton Arms was a three-story gilded dog kennel. It ran five rooms in two directions off the main stairwell. There was no elevator. Each room was barely ten-by-ten with an en suite bath/shower. Inside and out, brass painted metal and gleaming glass features, it was the most gaudy piece of shit motel to be had on the north-side.
Staring at it from the outside, Charlie had no doubt his husband was being ripped off. No matter how he tried, he couldn't summon his eyebrows down from his hairline. They would probably be stuck there for the next week until rescue choppers could get to them.
He took a deep breath and twisted to face Harrison. What he found was a shy, hopeful expression.
Harrison was anxious about his response. If this was the best he could do, the poor man was going to be eaten alive when it came to looking for a new place.
One thing was for certain, there was no way in hell Charlie was staying here, even for the night. Reaching out, he patted Harrison on the forearm. "We'll go looking for a new place tomorrow."
Hanging his head, Harrison barked with embarrassed laughter. He shook his head in mock-sorrow before looking back to Charlie. There was a twinkle in his eye. "So, I take it, you're not coming up?"
"No. Not in a million years." His skin was crawling from the roaches he knew which had to be infesting the place. Something this tacky looking screamed of filth. It was obvious the big guy needed him for more than just a convenient hole. "Get a rental from Horto-Scope three blocks over on Veneer Court. Use your room key as proof of residence for a five-percent discount. Then come pick me up, the address is on the back of Michael's card."
Speaking of which, he needed to make sure Harrison still had it. Using his index and middle fingers, he stuffed them down the man's front pocket. Harrison gasped under his touch, thrusting his hips closer. Digging around for the card, Charlie found plenty, even something that got bigger under his touch. He was studying it, 'trying to identify what he had found', when he heard him gasp. Tongue in his cheek, he winked up at the big guy.
Michael honked his horn.
Harrison jumped back, wide-eyed and flushed. This action tore Charlie's fingers from his pocket. He whipped his head around to stare at the cruiser, hands coming up to cover the now prominent bulge in his jeans.
Charlie was less panicky in his reactions. Casting a side-glance at his brother, he shook out his now sore fingers. "Fucking cockblock!" It was just like high school again. Only instead of a curious running back kitted out in full uniform and pads before homecoming, he was being interrupted while fingering his husband!
Said cock block honked his horn again. This time he bipped his siren once for added emphasis.
Well, he was certainly glad he had a niece and a nephew. 'cause this, this was now a thing, Charlie was definitely going to castrate him.
Hesitantly, Harrison moved in close again. This time, he placed his body flush against Charlie's. It brought them together, but also held his still hard cock against the smaller man's belly. Head bent forward, he smiled languidly. "I'm going to miss you."
"It's only for tonight. We spent longer periods apart." Like the twenty-one years he waited to meet the guy. Charlie winced, almost smacking himself for being such a tweenage girl! Sighing, he quickly stood on the tips of his toes and pecked Harrison's lips. It was hardly a brush of lips, but the touch burned his skin like the touch of a match. Face flushed, he licked the man's lips before dropping back down.
His thighs clenched and he wanted to wrap them around this guy's waist. Gritting his teeth, he had to fight the urge, the need to bite the man's neck. Heat coursed through him, pooling in his groin and behind his belly button. Charlie started to pant. God, he wanted to be fucked right here and now!
Part of this must have shown on his face because Harrison looked stunned as he pulled back. Face stuck, eyes unfocused, his jaw hung open. The man was clearly in no state to be making any decisions.
Deciding to take pity on the man, Charlie ran a hand down the front of his body, over his sculpted abs, to stop at the top of his pants. The urge to sink lower and drag the zipper with him was strong. Yet, he resisted. "Think of me in the shower, my lips on your dick, my mouth sucking you down. Hot, wet heat, squeezing you from all directions." Did he say pity, he meant screw with his mind some more.
"For fuck's sake, Charlie, the dashcam's catching everything you say!" That was Michael, interrupting again, and on the loud speaker, no less.
"I'm going to jail. I'm going to kill my brother and they are going to lock me away." Pulling away, Charlie sucked a quick breath through his teeth, then licked his lips. "Until tomorrow, baby." He flicked Harrison's dick, ignoring the still stunned expression, and walked back to the car. And if his hips swayed a little, he was just being friendly.
Once he reached the cruiser, he found Michael just staring at him.
He looked a little shell-shocked himself. Mouth open, he swallowed a couple times while he watched Charlie climb in. "I can't believe you did that. I thought you had more dignity than that."
Charlie shrugged as he reached for the belt. Maybe he was a closet slut all these years. He glanced out the window, finding Harrison still standing there, the front of his jeans tented enough that the waist pulled away from his body. His groin clenched and he whimpered. God, he had forgotten just how fucking big the guy was.
"Jesus Christ! That's...that's obscene. Please tell me you didn't..." Michael trailed off with a gasp. "Shit." Turning the ignition, he snorted. "No fucking wonder you love that guy."
"I'm not in love." But sure in hell was in heat. Tugging at the collar of shirt, Charlie tried to cool down. "I don't know what it is, but when things aren't blowing up around us, all I can think about is riding that man like a..."
"Dashcam, Charlie, damn it!" Tapping the large box behind the dashcomputer, Michael glared at his brother. "You've already given them enough fodder to ride my ass for a week." Then he winced. "Shit, that's not what I meant. I'm deleting this whole day when we get home." With that, he threw the cruiser into gear and pulled away from the curb.
Letting him drive, Charlie turned to face his husband again. He was growing more comfortable with that word. Just thinking about it made him want to smile. Waving a final time at Harrison, he smiled at the man.
Harrison had one hand tugging the front of his shirt down over his pants, and waved with the other.
It was nice knowing he had that effect on someone.
"So, what exactly did you mean by 'things blowing up'?"
Closing his eyes, Charlie let his head drop against the window. He would have to catch that slipup.
~~~
It was raining outside the apartment window. Near six in the evening, Charlie had been sitting under it off and on since they got here. He didn't want to call the place home. Hopefully, he wouldn't be spending more than a few days. The place was quiet at the moment, but that wouldn't last.
The toys were picked up, and the kitchen wiped down, but there was enough trace evidence to tell the full story. There were two young kids who lived here with parents who worked full-time. A wall full of crayon scribblings in his temporary room told him where the kids slept when home.
Which is why the place was quiet at the moment. Barb was out with her mother. She hadn't said when she would return, but he got the feeling she was staying with her mother tonight.
Michael was in the bathroom, getting ready for the graveyard shift. The smell of his spray deodorant had wafted through the apartment.
Closing his eyes, Charlie could picture himself back when they shared a room. Michael had liked that stinky shit back then too. Little had changed in that regard. Back then, there hadn't been a lotta money, four younger siblings sucked every spare penny. Michael had worked his ass off to save for community college. He didn't date much until senior year, so they had relied on each other.
And look how that had turned out. His first date with the social butterfly of their school and he ended with two kids, a two year lease on a dump, and a third shift job in one of the worst neighborhoods.
He should have stuck to his right hand and porno mags. If it wasn't for the odd-curious encounter in locker rooms, Charlie woulda been a celibate monk in high school. Even if his brother had prevented him from getting past second base, he still got some action.
No matter, he loved Michael and forgave him. He would not forgive that tramp and her 'pro-life' bullshit. She'd been on the abortion bandwagon long before she got knocked up. She couldn't blame Michael or Charlie for ruining her life, that had been an active decision she made.
Leather soles slapped against the tiled floor leading from the master bedroom. Stepping into the kitchen with his uniform shirt and pants undone, Michael was fixing his collar. His tie hung haphazardly over one shoulder and his hair was in terrible disarray. Dark rings circled his eyes from lack of sleep and he yawned to prove it wasn't a fashion statement.
Taking this all in, Charlie smiled fondly at the other man. Pain in his chest made him wince and he blinked back tears. Looking away, he wished for a cup of tea or soda to give his hand something to hold. "Your dinner's packed in your lunchbox, I made you some punch in the thermos."
Scratching his belly, Michael paused mid-yawn. He opened one eye to stare back at Charlie. His tiny smile was enough of an answer. Then he had to go one step further. "You're going to make Harrison a great wife and mother when you pop out your own brood."
"Such a charmer. And you wondered why no one ever wanted to fuck you." Rolling his eyes, Charlie went back to staring out the window. He needed the space between them to admit the next decision. "I've been thinking about getting a full-time position, putting off finishing college for a year or two." It wasn't a decision that was going to go over well.
And it didn't.
"Oh, you have, have you? And what kinda position are you thinking of taking, on all fours, or on your back, legs spread?"
Charlie winced at the mocking tone. Frowning, he blinked off the sudden stinging in his eyes. He sniffed. "It's not like that. I don't have the money..."
Michael interrupted with a snort. "To what? To piss away your future? Because that's what you're doing!" Storming into the living room, Michael stomped his way until he was standing before Charlie. "For fuck's sake, you haven't even finished your third year! What kinda job do you think is going to take you, a college dropout? You can't survive on minimum wage, and mailroom clerks need a Bachelor's at least, these days!" With a violent jerk, he pointed out the window. "There's not a fucking paradise waiting over the Mag-Lift tracks, it's another worker's burb, just like this one, and just like the one we grew up in! It costs money to live in this shit hovel and I earn twice what dad does!"
He flinched at every angry point. Unable to meet Michael's gaze, he stared at his shiny shoes.
In the silence that followed, Michael's heavy breathing was as harsh as his statements. Sighing, he took the two steps forward between them and dragged Charlie from the chair to rest against him.
Wrapping his arms around Michael's waist, he buried his faced in his brother's stomach. His tears stained the white shirt, turning it see-through. He didn't realize he was trembling until Michael began to pat his back. "I love you, Michael."
"I love you too, little shit." He began to stroke Charlie's shoulders slowly. "I'm worried about your future. I don't want you ending up like Walter and Alice. It's already bad enough that I'm on the fast track."
Something that had been bothering him occurred to Charlie. His brother had been spending every moment with him for the past three days. Barb hadn't called once. "When did she leave?"
There was only silence and Michael's stroking his back and neck.
"Was it because I called?" The hands stilled, then started stroking his spine in round, soothing motions. Facing falling, Charlie clenched his brother tighter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you again."
"Hey, don't mind her, she's a bitch anyways." Michael's laugh was only half-forced. "I only stayed with her because of the kids. The court tends to rule against cops on custody in divorces." Shaking his head, he laughed again. "Hell, the real reason you haven't seen Dot? I'm not even sure she's mine."
Wincing for him made Charlie a little sad for his brother's state of existence. He had known things weren't perfect, but he didn't think they were this bad. Though, he wouldn't deny being relieved that they had broken up. She wasn't good enough for Michael.
Nuzzling Michael's stomach, he poked him with his nose. When the man jerked under his touch, he grinned.
"Don't even think about it. As a matter of fact, you're not going to spend the entire night moping in my apartment." He smacked Charlie on the back of the head to keep him from nuzzling him again. "This semester is a bust, you'll be forgiven by any university given that your school burned down and the display of theatrics. Next year, however, is a new deal. You're going to college, and you will finish."
He considered letting go, but it had already gone too far. Michael knew all his weak points. "Uh, I think that's not going to happen. The degree I was going for was pretty much exclusive to CUET."
"So go for a new fucking major, think, moron!" He finger-walked his hands down Charlie's back towards his arm pits. "In the meantime, you're going to scour the internet for jobs you're qualified for. That alien biology planet sciency bullshit degree you were going for has to be of some use. You get an entry level position now, and by the time you graduate, you'll be secure enough to nest with your giant lover and pop out extra-large babies for him."
Charlie pulled back to glare at his brother. "What is your obsession with me having kids with Harrison? That's not natural, I think you should seek professional help."
"Hey, I have two kids, can't you see how happy I am?" Then he went for the kill! Wiggling his fingers under Charlie's arms, Michael freed himself and sent his brother to shrieking.
TBC
© 2013 Heinrich Gothrykke, all rights reserved.
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