The Shunning - 4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Arriving at Dr. Gavin's address Steven was surprised, after all he had heard, to find that it was a significantly large place in a very well-to-do neighborhood. The front lawn, while devoid of the colorful flowers and pruned bushes that marked the other houses, was well kept. Daryl's car, parked in the driveway, seemed out of place. Not that it was a rusty bucket of bolts. It was that it was a Honda Accord at least two models, maybe three models old, with the old boxy design. With every other driveway containing a sleek Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus, Steven felt as if he was crossing into a different time zone.

On reaching the front door, Steven heard the heavy sound of a hammer followed by the high pitched squeal of an electric drill. Curious as to what Daryl was up to, Steven wasted no time ringing the doorbell, bringing the ruckus coming from inside the house to a sudden halt.

A few moment's latter the door jerked open, showing the half naked, sweat drenched and exasperated Dr. Gavin. "You're early," he said, breathing heavily.

Steven, finally seeing the hard muscular body that had been hidden underneath Daryl's baggy clothes, coughed nervously as he tried his best to will away the hard-on growing in his tight pants. "Should I come back later?" he asked nervously.

"Like next month?" Daryl asked, his blue green eyes looked pleading.

"I was thinking more like ten minutes... enough time for you to finish whatever you were doing and get cleaned up."

"Wouldn't make a difference," Daryl said, wiping at what seemed like a constant stream of sweat that was running down his face. "You know, most doctors I know set up their appointments several weeks in advance."

"This is a house call," Steven snickered, as he squeezed both hands into his front pockets in an attempt to adjust his pants.

"Then you might as well come on in," Daryl sighed before walking back into the house.

Following after Daryl, Steven had to hold back a lust filled moan as his eyes followed the movement his gorgeous ass, only covered by the thin material of the blue shorts he was wearing. "Damn you Patrick," he whispered under his breath as he followed Daryl into what he assumed was the living room.

Looking around Steven saw the product of Daryl's efforts. The room, while still far way from looking comfy, was not completely empty. There were two unfolded metal chairs, a sleeping bag in one corner, a microwave in another, and what looked like a medium sized, half built, do it yourself table. Also laying about the room were a dozen discarded Wal-Mart bags.

"Well... I'll give you an `A' for effort, but a `D-' in style." Steven laughed as he felt himself starting to sweat. "Is it me or is it hot in here?"

"Sorry... forgot to lower the air-conditioner," Daryl said as he rushed toward the wall thermostat, almost slipping on a few of the plastic bags before reaching it.

"It's July you know... winter won't be here for a few more months. What did you have it set at?"

"Eighty-five degrees," Daryl said apologetically as he turned the dial down.

"Do I really want to know why?" Steven asked. If there was one thing he hated about his leather pants, it was how sticky and uncomfortable they got when he started sweating. Of course it would not be so bad if he did as Patrick recommended and wore the correct size.

"It's more energy efficient," Daryl said, as he made his way back more carefully.

"Dare... I know eventually our country is going to face a serious energy crisis, but setting the thermostat so high is not efficient; it's just plain crazy."

"Sorry," Daryl apologized again.

"Don't be... as far as I know you might like living in a sauna," Steven said as he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Well I don't. I just don't like wasting money."

"Really? They don't pay us a lot, but you can at least afford a higher electric bill," Steven said, quickly biting his tongue. He was being over critical. "I'm sorry... I should be minding my own business."

"Not your problem. Isn't your job to help me see where I am acting... `unreasonably'?" Daryl sighed.

"Ok... then you wouldn't mind me asking you a few questions?"

"You can... I'm just won't promise that I will answer all of them," Daryl replied.

"Fair enough. I guess I will start with the big one first."

"The one where you ask my why, a successful doctor such as I, am living like this?"

"Hell yes!"

"All I can say is that this is my life and I have the right to live it the way I want."

"And I agree with that, but unless you have some financial issues I don't know about, none of what I've seen so far makes any sense."

"I know, and I am sorry, but I really can't explain much to you."

"You are making helping you very difficult you know," Steven sighed.

"But don't you like the challenge?" Daryl smiled nervously.

"A challenge is one thing, even the game Twenty Questions can be fun at times, but most times you won't even give me a yes or no answer. I find that fucking annoying."

"Fine... we will play a game of twenty questions then."

"Only if you promise to answer me honestly without any mind games or trick answers," Steven demanded.

"I've never been dishonest with you," Daryl said defensively.

"But you can't say you've been very forthcoming about things." Steven glared as the air coming from the air conditioner began finally to cool the room, sending a shiver down his spine.

"I will be this time," Daryl promised.

"Fine... are you in financial trouble?"

"No," Daryl replied.

"Are you a wanted criminal?"

"No." Daryl laughed.

"Are you suicidal?"

"No," Daryl replied after a short pause.

"Have you ever been suicidal?"

Daryl lowered his head. "Yes."

"Have you ever wanted to hurt yourself?" Steven next asked.

"Be more specific." Daryl said after a long pause.

"Have you ever wanted to cut yourself?"

"No." Daryl said quickly.

"But you do hurt yourself in some fashion?"

"Yes."

"Is living like this how you punish yourself?" Steven asked, not knowing what else it could be.

"Yes." Daryl nodded.

Finally getting somewhere, Steven could not stop a smile from forming on his face.

"You find this funny?" Daryl asked accusingly.

"No... I find it quite sad, but I'm happy that you're being more open than you have ever been with me before."

"I told you I would answer honestly."

"I know," Steven replied sympathetically. He could tell by the expression on Daryl's face that these questions were not easy for him. He just wished he could ask questions beyond those that could be answered by a `yes' or `no'.

"Next question?" Daryl asked, looking up to show the tears running down his face.

"Do you have any close friends?"

"No."

"Do you have any family?"

"No."

"Are your parent's dead?"

"Yes... that's ten questions."

"I know... Did you ever have any brothers or sisters?"

"Yes... nine left," Daryl said, the tears running down his face increasing.

"A brother?"

"Yes."

"Older?"

"No."

"Any other siblings?"

"No."

"So both your parents and younger brother are dead?"

"No... five left."

Wait a minute... you said you have no family." Steven said, sensing a trick.

"I don't."

"But..." Steven said confused.

"You asked me if both my parents and younger brother were dead. I never said I had a younger brother."

"But you said `no' when I asked you if he was older than you... wait a minute, if he's not older or younger than you he has to be your twin?"

"Yes... four questions left."

"That was meant to be rhetorical." Steven grunted.

"It was a yes or no question." Daryl replied.

"Fine... be that way. Just be kind enough to give me a moment to sort things through. I don't want to waste my remaining questions.

"I can wait all night... I'm off tomorrow."

"So am I." Steven could not help but snicker, letting many pleasurable possibilities pop into his head. Knowing Daryl had a twin... a dead twin at that, he really only had one question that truly needed to be answered. That left three questions he could use for more selfish reasons.

"Is the reason you punish yourself anyway related to the death of your brother?"

"Yes..." Daryl whispered, nodded his head.

"I'm sorry. I can't imagine how losing him felt and still feels for you. Now for the easy questions."

"They'd better be."

"I promise... you might even find them fun. Are you gay?"

"What?" Daryl shouted in disbelief

"It's a yes or no question... and be honest."

"Yes." Daryl glared.

"Really... you're really gay?" Steven said excitedly.

"Yes..." Daryl said, as if embarrassed.

Nothing would have made Steven happier than to ravish Daryl right then and there, but his promise to his brother held him back. Still, there were a few more things he needed to know. "Are you a virgin?"

"No." Daryl shook his head nervously. "Two questions left."

"Even more interesting," Steven chuckled. "Are you attracted to me?"

"Yes... and that's all I am going to say on the subject." Daryl said in a defiant tone.

"We'll see." Steven grinned moved in on Dr. Gavin. "Last question... will you let me kiss you?"

Daryl did not say a word but closed his eyes, leaning ever so slightly forward, his lips barely parted. Taking that as a yes, Steven met Daryl's lips, touching them ever so gently before letting his tongue slip into his mouth.

"Is this what you call professional detachment?" Daryl asked, catching his breath after the long kiss ended.

"It's what I call giving each other what we both want and need," Steven replied as he reached over and touched Daryl's face tenderly.

"I can't do this... I don't deserve it, and you're out of questions." Daryl said as he pulled away.

"We'll have to do this again then."

"Not anytime soon," Daryl replied in a begging tone as he tried to distract himself with the pieces of half finished table.

"Don't worry about this cheap junk. Let's go out," Steven said,

"Go out?" Daryl asked in disbelief.

"When was the last time you spent a night on the town?"

"To be honest..."

"I see... then this will be your first adventure. That is unless you would rather we stay here and fuck each other silly?"

"Let me get dressed." Daryl said all too quickly.

"But I like how you're dressed now," Steven whined as he followed Daryl to his near empty bedroom.

Steven watched with interest as Daryl slipped off his running shorts before putting on a pair of khaki pants and a dark blue t-shirt.

"Is this alright?" Daryl asked, as he spun himself around for Steven's inspection.

"It'll do for now," Steven chuckled, running a pair of fingers down the other man's chest.

"Stop it," Daryl said weakly, as he lightly brushed Steven's fingers aside.

"I can't help it Dare. What can I say... I have a weakness for twins."

"You're my doctor... try to remember that," Daryl pleaded.

"I could always quit," Steven offered, barely keeping his lust under control.

"You want to give up on me?"

"Giving up is not the problem," Steven laughed, rubbing the growing bulge in the front of his pants. "But you're right... I should at least try harder to pretend we have only a professional relationship."

"Let's get going... I think I will feel safer around you with other people around."