A Tattoo for Lex - 21. Chapter 21

Around ten-thirty Sunday morning Lex woke up first, letting the first wave of his headache wash over him before he tried to move. Fucking Cassie and her Fireball. Never again. Yeah right. Every once in a while he and Cassie tied one on. After every time they both swore it would be the last. Yet inevitably they found themselves repeating history. At least, Lex consoled himself, it didn’t happen very often. He rolled out of bed, careful not to wake Ian and headed into the bathroom. After taking care of his bladder that was close to bursting he brushed his teeth hoping to get rid of whatever had crawled in and died. He shook eight ibuprofen out, popped four into his mouth and gulped water from the faucet. He padded back to the bedroom and left the other four painkillers on the nightstand next to a bottle of water for Ian when he woke.

Walking softly down the hallway he glanced in the guest room and saw that Cassie had somehow managed to find her bed. He was impressed. He continued to the kitchen and filled the coffee maker with water. Thankfully there was coffee already ground. He couldn’t handle loud noise at the moment. Once it was brewing he went out to the porch and cleaned up their mess from the night before. He noticed that both bottles of alcohol were nearly empty. Damn, no wonder his head hurt.

Heading back to the kitchen with the tumblers, he washed them out and then filled one with coffee and added a little vanilla creamer. He took some hamburger out of the freezer and set it out to thaw. He stepped out to the patio and relaxed on one of the loungers. Being at a higher elevation the morning air was cool, but not cold. This time of year was perfect for enjoying coffee outside. Roughly a half hour later Ian joined him, looking a little ragged around the edges.

“Fuck. It’s been a long time since I drank like that. Thanks for leaving the ibu” he said as he leaned down for a kiss.

Lex pulled him into his lap and kissed him thoroughly. “You’re welcome. Thanks for the amazing blow job last night.”

Ian smiled and asked “So how long will Cassie be down for? I think she’s going to be in a world of hurt when she wakes up.”

“It’s her own damn fault. She’ll recover. But a word of advice. Don’t speak to her until after she’s had coffee and a cheeseburger. Yes, I said cheeseburger. Don’t ask. It’s just her thing. But I’d like for your balls to remain intact so please don’t poke the beast. That’s all I ask.” Lex grinned.

Ian hopped off his lap and told Lex “I’m going to shower. Wanna join me?”

Lex raised an eyebrow and with a shit eating grin ordered “Lead the way”

Nearly an hour later and with their headaches faded into a dull roar the two men ventured back into the kitchen and discovered Cassie at the table nursing her own big tumbler of coffee. Lex grabbed the burger he had taken out and put it in the microwave to speed up the defrosting process. He slipped out the sliding glass door and fired up the gas grill. By the time Cassie has finished her second tumbler of coffee Lex was sliding a plate with a thick burger covered with three slices of cheese in front of her. He placed a bottle of barbeque sauce next to her as well. Cassie grunted and took the bottle and squeezed out a generous amount onto her burger and then another huge splork on her plate. Topping the meat with the bun she practically unhinged her jaw like a snake to take a huge bite. Juice and sauce dripped down her chin. Ian looked on in astonishment as she dragged the burger through the sauce in preparation for the next mouthful. It took her exactly eight bites to finish the food.

Gulping down her last bite, Cassie swallowed and looked at Lex “Thanks Nemo, I needed that.”

Lex planted a kiss on the top of her head, smiled and replied “I hate you bitch.”

It was now just after noon and Ian reminded Cassie that they were going to his parent’s house for dinner and she needed to pack on overnight bag. They would leave around one o’clock so they could visit for a while. Cassie stood up and kissed him on the cheek leaving a smudge of BBQ sauce and wordlessly headed down to her room to shower and get ready.

Lex grabbed a napkin and wiped the smudge off Ian’s cheek and commented “Enjoy the silence while it lasts. It won’t be long before that cheeseburger will kick in and she’ll be back to her loud, obnoxious self.”

The two wordlessly cleaned up the kitchen and sat on the porch to wait for Cassie.

Ian remarked “At least my headache is almost gone. I still feel like shit though. God, I haven’t drank like that in a long time.”

“You’re telling me. I only drink like that when I’m with her and this is the first time I’ve seen her in just over two years.” Lex said.

“You never went back to the Seattle area? Ian asked.

“Nope. I really did think that I was going to go and contact my father. Then after eight or nine months of chickening out I finally decided that I had to figure out who I was first. It was always Cassie and Lex, or Lex and Cassie since we were four years old. After the whole scar thing Cassie became overprotective of me. Hell, the only reason I got any sexual experience with another guy was because for a while she worked weekend nights and I was able to go to a few gay bars on my own. I still only managed a few hand jobs and blow jobs. As soon as a guy’s hand ventured anywhere near my back I bolted. Not exactly the way one goes about picking up guys.” Lex laughed.

“So did you ever figure out who you are?” Ian wondered.

Lex looked at Ian and said “It took a wicked talented tattoo artist to pull me out of my shell and make me his. I spent the last two years on my own and as soon as I saw you I knew I didn’t want to look any further for where I wanted to be. Even though I didn’t know it at the time. I’m yours, and that’s exactly who I want to be.”

Lex leaned in for a kiss and before his tongue could make it’s way into Ian’s territory he heard “Awwwwwwwwww, ain’t they the cutest ev-er!” from a giggling Cassie.

Ian whispered in his ear “Cassie Cockblock strikes again!” sending Lex into a fit of laughter.

When Lex stopped laughing he shot a somewhat mock glare at Cass and informed her “You just wait. When your Prince Charming shows up I am so gonna interrupt you every chance I get and I’m teaching your kids from an early age that’s it’s perfectly OK to go into Mommy and Daddy’s room whenev-er they want. After all they’re gonna love their Uncle Lex!”

Cassie snorted and challenged “Two can play at that game and believe me Lex, and you too Ian, I will win the war of corrupting each other’s children”

“Who said we’re ever having kids?” Lex retorted.

Ian interjected “Do you even want kids? We never talked about it after all. You were great with Sean’s kids. I guess I can picture you as a dad.”

Lex looked a little uncomfortable. He bit his bottom lip and thought for a moment. Hmmmm, kids. Little versions of people. He really needed to reevaluate his stance on people.

He looked at Ian and finally spoke. “I never really gave it much thought. I honestly never even saw myself in a position to have kids. I guess, maybe, but definitely not now. I figure if it’s going to happen then an opportunity will present itself. What about you?”

Ian answered truthfully “I guess I’ve been a little jealous of Sean. Kids would cool, but you’re right, it’s not the right time. If it’s meant to happen then it will. At least we can have fun trying!” He leered as he grabbed Lex’s ass and gave it a squeeze.

Cass grabbed her overnight bag and pushed both men toward the door saying “If I wanted to look at monkeys having sex I’d go to the zoo. Let’s go before I let Kathy talk me into pink tuxedos for you.”

Once again the three found themselves piling into the truck. This ride was a bit quieter as they were still nursing the effects of last night’s binge.

As they approached the McColm’s house Lex turned to Cassie and threatened “If you don’t behave yourself you will be uninvited from the wedding. Do you understand?” he growled.

Cassie shot him one of those looks and told Ian “Keep his leash short and make sure he doesn’t pee on the floor.”

Ian chuckled and parked the truck. “I can’t control either one of you. You’re both on your own. I’m sticking with my Dad.” he muttered.

Upon entering the house they were greeted enthusiastically by both Kathy and Rick, who was introduced to a surprisingly docile Cassie.

Kathy looked at the three and then remarked to her husband “Looks like some people we know may have drank way too much last night. What do you think?”

“I think we won’t be opening as much wine as I originally thought” he answered. Then he added “So do get to see Ian’s masterpiece that my wife keeps raving about?”

Lex obliged and Rick was just as impressed as his wife had been. He was awed by the incredible details and made sure both men knew how proud he was of them. Lex was still not used to such praise, but was slowly getting more comfortable with it.

Dinner wasn’t going to be ready for another few hours so Kathy offered soft drinks or water. All three chose water. She brought out some cheese and crackers to tide everyone over. Their appetites were just starting to return and the mild assortment of cheeses hit the spot. Kathy questioned Cassie about her job and Cassie became more animated as she described the trials and tribulations of market research.

Cassie mentioned that while she really liked the people that she worked with, the job itself was getting tedious. Yes, she studied marketing in college, but she felt like a hamster on a wheel.

“Why didn’t you tell me Cass?” Lex inquired.

“Because you were busy figuring out your own life and besides, it’s only been this way for a few weeks now. The last couple of projects have been so boring! I just don’t feel challenged anymore. I want to do something where I actually make a difference. I don’t know. I guess I need to find something that will inspire me.” she said.

Kathy looked at her and advised “Follow your heart dear, if you’re not happy where you are keep your options open and make a change when you get the chance. You never know what opportunities will drop into your lap.”

You’ll find your way Cass, I know you will. You can always move here and be my personal slave. I may even pay you to shop for me.” Lex teased.

Kathy turned her attention back to the boys and not so subtlety interrogated “So how are the wedding plans coming along?

Ian sighed in resignation and told her “The menu and catering are taken care of. Duke’s going to handle that for us. I reserved a tent and chairs last week, although if it's nice we may not need the tent. I called Jase and asked him to be my best man. Lex is clearing out the yard and getting it ready. Guess what he found while clearing the back section that was all overgrown? The most amazing gazebo. His friend Jarren came over to look at it and after Labor Day they’re going to move it closer to the house. Lex wants to sand it down and either refinish it or seal it.”

Lex jumped in “It really is in great shape. Jarren thinks it’s constructed out of teak which is why it held up so well. Once I get it sanded down I‘ll be able to really see how the wood looks. Then I can decide whether or not to restain it or just seal it. Hopefully I can just seal it. I’m excited to see how it’s going to look.”

Rick looked at Lex and offered “If you need any help on the weekends I’d be more than happy to to give you a hand.”

Kathy, not to be deterred once again interjected “What about decorations? Have you picked a color scheme or a theme?”

Cassie looked at Lex with absolute glee. She was enjoying this way too much as she asked “Think Lex. Have you picked a theme yet? Maybe Hawaiian. We can all wear linen pants and flowered shirts. Or how about..”

“Shut up Cassidy Marie Shaeffer.” Lex warned without thinking.

The look that came over Cassie’s face was priceless. The gauntlet was thrown and they both knew it. In a completely even tone of voice she said “You did not just use my whole name. Ian, has Lex told you what his middle name is?” She looked at Ian who was trapped and knew it. He merely shook his head. Her focus returned to Lex who knew he was possibly screwed. “Lex, would you like me to inform this lovely family what your middle name is?”

If looks could kill Cassie would be planning her own funeral. Lex begrudgingly gave in “What do you want?”

Cassie smiled knowing that she had won. “Kathy and I not only get to dress you two for the big day, we get to decorate. Whatever we decide. Pink kittens and rainbow farting unicorns. Nothing is off limits. Hmmmm, I wonder if unicorn farts smell like cotton candy?” She glanced over at Kathy who was trying really hard to keep a serious look on her face and failing miserably. Cassie continued “And the guest list goes up to, ummmm, 40?” looking at Kathy who nodded.

Ian started to protest but Lex cut him off. Knowing that there was only one way to gain back the upper hand and thwart the evil wench he looked at Ian and said “Luthor. My middle name is Luthor. My mom had one twisted, sick sense of humor. It was as if she asked herself ‘what’s the worst middle name I could give a boy named Lex? Luthor. Yep, that’s what I’ll call him’”.

Rick could not hold back any longer. He started laughing and soon Kathy joined in. Ian gave in and joined them.

Cassie glared and finally conceded “Touche, mon frere, touche.”

Ian was the first to stop laughing and being the diplomat that he was looked at Lex and told him “Your middle name could be Buttered Pumpernickel and I would still love you. How about we let these two plan the decorations as long as they promise to keep it classy and no theme allowed?”

Lex stared at Cassie who looked like she knew she won and instructed “Classy. No pink. No rainbow farting unicorns. No pink or rainbow anything. Am I clear?”

Kathy, who was sitting next to Cassie put her hands on Cassie’s shoulders and answered for her “Crystal clear, I’ll make sure she doesn’t go overboard.”

Lex didn’t miss the flash of Cassie’s aura that indicated that she was still contemplating mischief, but he let it go. Kathy’s aura flashed honesty and he knew she would try to keep Cassie under control. He had to think positive and believe that she would succeed.

Cassie, who had been sitting quietly, piped up “So have you guys decided what you’re going to do with your names? Are you gonna hyphenate or keep what you’ve got?” Leave it to Cassie to hit a potentially touchy subject.

Lex looked a little perplexed. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it. Truthfully, I don’t really feel strongly one way or another. I’m not particularly attached to my last name so I don’t have a problem changing it. Or we can hyphenate if that’s what you want.” he said, looking at Ian.

Ian shrugged and replied “I didn’t think about it either. I guess we can just hyphenate. Takes a couple of more seconds to sign your name, but it’s not a major ordeal.”

Rick, who hadn’t said a word so far in regards to any of the wedding plans interjected “You can always combine your names, you know, like McHews or Colson.”

Ian and Lex looked at him like he had just invented sliced bread. “Dad, that’s a great idea! We never thought of that. What do you think Lex?” asked Ian.

Lex answered “I like the idea. Starting a new phase in life with a new name, yeah, I really like it.”

Cassie jumped in “Which one? McHews or Colson?”

“Colson” said Lex

“McHews” said Ian at the same time.

They laughed and Lex just looked at Ian and told him “We don’t have to decide right now. Let’s wait until the end of September. Like Ms. Helen says, we can cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Ian nodded, knowing that Lex wanted to wait until after he had his meeting with his father to make any big decisions. They hadn’t told his parents about the meeting because Lex wanted to see how thing went. If they went poorly then Lex would just move on, none the wiser save for them and Cassie. If they went well then Lex could decide how to share the news.

Rick stood up and told the others “I think dinner is almost ready. Let’s go eat.”

The group made their way into the kitchen and it wasn’t long before they were helping themselves to the delicious pot roast that Kathy had made. The beef was amazingly tender and nearly melted in their mouths. A rich gravy was the perfect complement to the carrots, potatoes and pearl onions that had been slow cooked with the meat.

Steering the conversation away from the wedding itself Rick asked the boys if they were planning a honeymoon.

Ian responded “We’re not going to take one right away. We think we may just take a few days and head down to the Cape or maybe up to Maine. We’ve been discussing our bucket list destinations and have narrowed down a big trip to either New Zealand or Scotland. You know I’ve always wanted to see New Zealand ever since I saw that show about it on the Travel Channel. Lex has always wanted to see the Military Tattoo in Edinburgh. I’m actually leaning toward the Scotland trip. If we do New Zealand I’d want to go for 3-4 weeks and the shop is getting really busy now and I can’t justify taking that much time off. If we do Scotland we can easily take 10 or 12 days off to see the country and take in a Tattoo performance. It wouldn’t be until next August though.”

Rick jumped in saying “I’m a little confused. What is a Military Tattoo? I’m assuming you don’t mean ink on skin.”

Lex picked up at this point and explained “No, the Military Tattoo is a yearly event every August that the Scots take a lot of pride in. In a nutshell it’s a lot of performances by some of the top Drum Corps from all over. They give precision performances along with lights and lasers in some cases. It’s been going on since 1949. The organization actually raises a lot of money and donates to various charities. You can see some of the shows or segments on You Tube.”

“That sounds incredible. I’ve always loved drum lines.” Kathy exclaimed.

The conversation turned to more mundane things as dinner was cleaned up and coffee and dessert brought out. When everyone had their fill of the homemade peach cobbler Ian and Lex decided to head home. Ian had an early client and Lex had some work on the computer to get to. They said their goodbyes and Lex told Cassie to text him when they were done with their shopping. Kathy had suggested that they meet at the mall when they were done so Lex wouldn’t have to drive as far. Lex gave Cassie a hug and reminded her to behave herself.

Cassie just grinned and kissed him on the cheek “Goodnight Lex. I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Ian pulled Lex out the door and they headed home. When they got back to the house Lex said to Ian “I guess we have a lot of things to discuss that we haven’t considered yet, don’t we?

Ian stopped and looked him in the eyes and responded “Yeah, we do. But they can wait. We’ve got the house all to ourselves tonight and I for one am planning on taking full advantage.” With that he pulled Lex in for a searing kiss then headed down the hallway intent on making the most of their time alone.