Indiana Summer - 7. Fighting out

Disclaimer: This story includes sexual and romantic situations between consenting individuals. Any allusion to illicit or illegal activity, sexual or otherwise, is used only for enhancement of the story line and not promotion thereof. Remember AIDS, HIV and other STDs are a very real threat, please always practice safe sex.

I can prove copyright on this story so please don't copy or remove this story for personal use without my permission.
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Indiana Summer 07: Fighting out

I could tell immediately the next morning that Billy remembered what he had been dreaming about the night before. Since the moment he stirred I pretended to be asleep and watched the scene play out behind my nearly closed eye lids.

He looked with confusion at the blanket jumbled and twisted around his legs then his expression changed to horror when he realized his boxers were damp and sticking to his crotch. He shot a quick and terrified glance at me and once assured I was still asleep he started to pry and twist at the blanket till his legs were free.

Quietly he slipped out of his bed, collected new boxers and a pair of jeans and after making sure the hall was empty he slipped out of the bedroom, heading I'm sure for the bathroom.

I counted two minutes while straining my ears for any sound in the hall that might point to his return. When I was sure he would be awhile I sat up and tried to fight exhaustion. I had been up most of the night, sleeping for only a few short periods as I ran the scene back through my head; considering every possible situation and every implication.

I was finally certain of two things, Billy was gay, and a total closet/denial case and I finally understood, at least in part, what drove him to cut. It was also easy to conclude that his dad only made him worse. Even though he didn't know about Billy, at least I thought not, knowing what his dad thought on the subject, as he had made clear at dinner the night before, it was like throwing gas on a forest fire.

I rested my head in my hands and tears began to sting at the corners of my eyes as a terrible question nagged at my mind. What if I had done something while I was there to cause him to hurt himself?

I knew his issues likely went back years before I arrived but that didn't make me feel any better.

My brain running on over drive I went back through every single one of my actions since arriving on the farm.

Only once had I done anything to intentionally mess with him, making such a display of changing my clothes the first morning I was there.

Everything else I came up with had either been an accident or instituted by him. The time our hands touched in the barn and when he had inspected my palm the day I got the splinters.

But still I ran things around in my mind, seeing if there was anything I had over looked anything I did that might have just been second nature to me.

For all my searching I only came up with a few things. I liked to wear my shirts a little tight and I liked to show off my body. I was proud of my body; it had taken a lot of work to get the muscle I had now and even more to keep it; and I liked to flaunt it a bit, in a normal, decent way at least.

In some corner of my mind I started to realize my introspection was pointless. Unless I could learn more about Billy, which was unlikely, anything I did could set him off.

I went over to the trunk and dug out some clothes and once I was dressed went down to breakfast. To my surprise only Annie was in the kitchen when I got there.

"Where's every body at?" I asked as I helped myself to some bacon and scrambled eggs.

"William was up and hour ago, he's gone into town to get a few things. Billy just bolted down some toast and orange juice then went out to the barn. He looked a little hot and bothered; you know if there is anything wrong?" She asked scanning my face, her eyes critical; what she was looking for I don't know.

"Not that I know of, no. I was asleep when he came upstairs last night and the room was empty when I woke up." I said between heaping spoonfuls of eggs, I had the feeling that she wasn't buying my story, even though it was partially true.

"Now that I think about it I woke up late last night. I was pretty groggy and really out of it but I seem to remember him tossing and turning a bit, maybe he had a nightmare?" I knew this was dangerous, if she mentioned our conversation to Billy and he confronted me about it I am not sure what I would do.

"Hmm...Maybe he did. He had a nasty bout of nightmares after Seth left for school..." Her voice trailed off as she sipped on coffee and looked out of the kitchen window.

Once I was done with my food I put my plate in the sink and headed out to the barn. I decided to act as if nothing were different then the day before. Billy was pulling on some work gloves, a large sledge hammer leaning against his leg, when I walked into the barn.

Since the wood we needed had finally arrived we could start the heavy stuff, today we were demolishing and rebuilding the horse stalls. Under normal circumstances that wouldn't have been a big deal but we had to have all six stalls rebuilt by dinner time.

Annie and old man Templeton had gotten into something of an argument on that point when he first told us. The weather had been hot and muggy, and being in the barn cut off from any sort of breeze or flowing air only made it worse.

Annie was afraid we might collapse cause of the heat and the strain but the old man wouldn't yield. He even made it personal for Billy by saying that unless it was done then he'd sell the horses.

I could tell Annie had wanted to protest more but Billy agreed to do it and that was it.

Pulling myself out of my recollections I pulled on the other pair of work gloves and reached for the other sledge hammer that was leaning against the wall.

Making sure I had a good grip I swung the hammer at the side of the end stall, the impact jolted me a bit but smashed through the particle wood none the less.

Billy was working on the stall at the other end; we'd meet in the middle. I swung the hammer again and again tearing at the wood. It had been awhile since I had done any sort of demolition so I had forgotten just how heavy a sledge hammer got after while.

I took a few seconds break and watched Billy go at it. He swung his hammer faster then I did bits of wood flying around him as he struck and pulled back on the hammer.

Oblivious to everything else he kept working. I knew how much Elder meant to him so I was determined to keep pace with him and help him finish the job on time. I wiped the sweat off my brow, picked up my hammer and started swinging again.

                                                     *             *             *

My hammer tore through the side of the stall like a knife through paper. Today I didn't have the time to worry about anything. Not Dad, not David, not even my dream, it all had to be put on the back burner. I had to get this work done today, because of my dad I lost Seth; my best friend as well as my brother. I wasn't going to let him take Elder away from me too.

But even with that determination I couldn't help but notice how tired David was getting. I had finished the siding I was working on knocking the outer framing apart but he was still working on the outer wall of his stall.

His face was red and shining with sweat, each blow of his sledge hammer was slower and slower and having less and less effect.

He had stopped once before to catch his breath but it wasn't going to be enough for him. Whether he was trying to show off by attempting to keep pace with me or for some other reason; I knew he wasn't going to be able to.

True I wasn't that accustomed to using a sledge hammer but years spent chopping wood by hand and helping other farmers with demolition and rebuilding had given me a better tolerance then he seemed to be showing.

Not to mention I was more used to the heat and the humidity then he was. After dad had told us about this job and he and mom had argued about it after I had gone upstairs, as I left the room I heard her telling him that David wasn't used to the mugginess we had to deal with.

I guess it was less humid where he came from. He took another break, he had finally managed knock all the siding away. He leaned his hammer against the wall and stood taking deep breaths.

He hefted his hammer again and without thinking about it I walked up behind him and as he turned I pulled it out of his grip.

"What are you doing?" He tried to sound annoyed but the exhaustion in his voice and the fear in his eyes ruined the effect.

I tossed the hammer down before I answered him.

"You're about to drop. Go inside and cool off and get something to drink. And bring me back one when you come back out." The words rolled out of me automatically, I didn't even have to think. I didn't want him to get hurt.

"I'm fine, we've got a deadline. It won't get met if I wuss out every time I get a little winded." Now there was genuine annoyance in his voice, as well as a little anger. He bent down for his hammer but I kicked it out his reach.

"The deadline won't get met if you pass out either. Now go." I picked up his hammer and went back to the stall I was working on, but he didn't move.

"What if I don't? What if I walk over there and take my hammer and go back to work?" There was a tone in his voice I couldn't place. I could tell he was serious though.

"I'll knock you on the head with it and drag you inside, say you fell, and then come back out and finish my work." I wasn't serious but I hoped I sounded it.

He didn't seem to be able to make up his mind whether or not I was either but in the end he turned and walked out of the barn.

I watched him as he walked; the jeans he wore were baggy enough to hide the curves of his butt and his legs but it didn't stop my imagination. I stared working on the stalls again, letting my mind absently wander as I busted apart siding and frame work. For some reason the pictures that ran through my mind didn't make me feel sick or ashamed; brief flashes of David’s bare torso the morning I watched him change, his arms flexing in his tank top.

"What are you doing out here by yourself, where is city boy at?" My dad's voice sliced through the pounding of my hammer and I turned to see him standing in the barn doorway.

                                                     *             *             *

My head was swimming again. I couldn't decide if Billy was trying to be nice to me or if he just didn't want me collapsing on him.

My thoughts going a million miles an hour again as I pushed open the back door and stepped into the kitchen, grateful for the cool air against my skin.

"Goodness, you've barely been out there two hours and you look about ready to drop." Annie's voice was full of concern as she grabbed me by the arm and drug me to dinning room table.

"Billy said the same thing, but really I'm fine. I'm just not accustomed to this amount of humidity yet. I'll be fine. I'm only in here because Billy took my hammer away and threatened to knock me in the head with it if I didn't come in for a minute." I smiled through my last sentences, wanting to her think I took it as a joke.

Annie wasn't smiling as she pressed a glass of cold water into my hand.

"I told William that this was going to happen, but oh no he just couldn't listen could he? Stubborn, bull headed man." She grumbled to herself as she went back to the kitchen and started dumping ice into a tall, round cooler with a tap on the side.

I finished the water she gave me and sat for only a moment more before I got up to go back to the barn.

"Where do you think you're going young man? You get right back in there and sit down." She said as I reached for the door knob, unwilling to acknowledge the memories her statement has just brought to the surface.

She sounded just like my mom right then and I didn't want to associate her with those memories.

"I can't, you heard what Mr. Templeton said. We have to be done by the end of the day or the horses are gone." More then just proving I could handle the work load I didn't want Billy to get punished for me not being out there to work.

"You can wait till I get this cooler filled with water. Then you can go back to this fool exercise." She said hotly as she hefted the cooler into the sink started to fill it with water from the sprayer.

Knowing it would be pointless to argue I leaned against the counter and waited for her to finish. Once it was full and the lid wedged on to it she handed me two plastic glasses and motioned for me to take it.

I lifted it out of the sink and carried it to the door. Since my hands were full Annie opened it for me and told me if I saw William on the way to the barn or he said anything about me not being there to tell him she called me in to get the cooler.

I nearly dropped the cooler twice as I walked back to the barn. It looked as if it had once had a handle attached to it but it had broken off. I was about to set it down to get a better hold on it when I hear the old man's voice ringing from the barn.

Hoping I wouldn't drop it in the process I nearly ran to the barn and stepped in behind the old man as he questioned Billy about where I was.

"I was inside collecting this cooler from Annie; she thought we might need a drink every now and then." I said loudly, taking great pleasure in his jumping in surprise.

"You're here to work boy, not run errands. Get your ass back in here and get back to work. I want these stalls demolished by noon." His voice was thick with anger and his face was contorted into a nasty grimace. He shot Billy an ugly look before he left.

I set to cooler and the glasses down on a small work bench against the wall and went over to Billy. He looked a real mess, his head was still hung, and his shoulders slumped if I didn't know better I'd say he was about to cry.

"I'm sorry if you got hassled for me not being out here. You should get a drink and rest for a second. I'll get back to work." I expected him to resist, saying he didn't need a break or some other smart ass shit but he didn't. He rested his hammer against one of the stalls and walked past me to the cooler.

I took my own hammer from where he had put it and went back to the stall I had been working on.

I swung at the two by four framing as hard as I could and cracked it nearly in half with the first hit.

If that old fucker wanted the work done, it'd get done. I swung again and burst clean through. I kept at it, using only one or two swings to get done what been taking me at least a handful of shots, using my anger and dislike of old man Templeton to fuel my work.

I was dimly aware that Billy had come back and was working with the same fervor I was. Finally something we could agree on, showing his fuck head father what we were capable of.

                                                    *             *             *

I saw William through the kitchen window walking toward the house. He didn't look happy, not that he ever did these days.

"You need to leave those two alone. There's work to be done and you coddle'em ain't gonna get it finished." I was glad to hear he was keeping his voice under control. Shouting matches were common between us these days but for Billy's sake I tried to avert it.

"I hardly think making sure the boys don't die of heat exhaustion or dehydration can be considered 'coddling'. You might want to remember that while you’re working them like dogs. Joe won't be very pleased with you if David winds up in the hospital." It was getting harder to reason with him these days but I had to try.

"Joe sent that boy out here to learn some ethics and discipline, whatever else happens to him isn't my concern. So long as he is breathing when I send him back I don't care." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. William had always been pig headed and overly strict but complete disregard for someone’s health...that wasn't the man I knew.

"I'm warning you now William, I'll be keeping an eye on how much you work these boys as well as how you treat them. I swear if you give me cause to worry, even the slightest bit, you'll regret it. Do I make myself clear?" I hadn't been this angry in a very long time and it was easy to see that William was surprised by me. He didn't say anything as he walked away but I knew he'd take me seriously, at least for a little while.

When I was sure he was out of the house I collapsed into a seat at the dinning table and stared out the window.

William had changed since Seth left. Did I make a mistake staying with him after what had happened between them? Was it wrong for me to agree to let David come and stay with us knowing what William thought of his father?

Was I foolish for staying now, knowing how William was going to act and how he was going to treat the boys?

"I don't know what to do...."

                                                   *             *             *

It was almost noon and we were nearly done, only one stall standing between us and our deadline.

We were both clutching glasses of cool water and standing just in front of the work bench taking a quick break.

With only fifteen minutes till our deadline we had decided we could allow a short rest. With both of us working on the stall it wouldn't take long at all.

I watched as Billy set his empty glass down and picked up his hammer. He glanced quickly at me then turned and went back to the last stall.

As he walked away I felt a little twinge of guilt, after busting through the wall of my second stall I had rested a minute to catch my breath. Without thinking about it I had pulled my shirt off and tucked it under my belt, it was my habit to shuck my shirt if I got hot while working outside at home; I had completely forgotten my vow to play it cool around Billy.

He stared at me for a few seconds when I did it but then went back to work, and resolutely kept his head turned the rest of the time.

I decided to keep it off and deal with whatever happened next when it did, it was hot after all.

Coming back to the present I dumped the rest of my water over head, the cool liquid mingling with the hot sweat along my back and chest.

Hefting my own sledge hammer I went back to the stall, by unspoken consent we started back to work.

Finishing the walls we set to banging apart the framing. The outer part of the frame and the pieces at the top were all that would be going, the parts attached to the wall and the floor would be staying put, as would the doors which we had removed the previous day.

When the framing was done we each swapped our hammer for a shop broom. We swept the debris to a pile at the edge of the barn. I asked Billy during one of our breaks what we'd be doing with it; he said a friend of his dad would be collecting it the next day. He didn't know what they would do with it.

Once that was done we went back to the cooler for more water. We had finished with five minutes to spare.

As we wet our throats and admired our handy work Annie came out to the barn.

"It looks like you boys did quite the job out here today." She said as she surveyed the spot where the six stalls once stood.

"We did the best we could." I said with a smile. I was sure she already knew about our time limit but I didn't want to mention it, just in case she didn't.

"And it really is the best too. What else do you have to do today?" She asked as she came back over to us.

"What ever dad wants us to do." Billy answered; his voice was low and toneless. He wouldn't look at her as he spoke.

Annie seemed not to notice Billy's attitude, she smiled and told us to come in for lunch and to bring the cooler so it could be refilled.

For all her cheeriness and smiles though she couldn't hide that look in her eyes. Whether anger or sadness I couldn't tell, but she wasn't happy.

Billy only nodded and picked up the cooler and followed her out, me behind them as I pulled my shirt back on.

"You boys wash up before you eat." She said once we made it to the kitchen. The cool air chilled my sweaty shirt.

Billy nodded again and went through to the dinning room; you could hear him going upstairs.

I decided not to follow and instead washed up at the kitchen sink, splashing water on my face as well as washing my hands.

I dried my hands on a dishtowel as I watched Annie fix two plates of food. She made two thick ham and turkey sandwiches and small bit of cole slaw with some plain potatoes chips.

I followed her to the dinning room when she put the plates on the table and sat down, saying she had already eaten.

"Mr. Templeton won't be joining us?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too happy about it.

"Oh I don't know he might. But he can make his own, he's so particular." She said with a smile and a careless wave toward the kitchen door.

Smiling a little at this I sat down next to her and started eating. Billy came in a few minutes later and sat down across from her and pulled his plate over and started eating.

None of us spoke while we ate but every few minutes Annie would glance from Billy to me then back again as though waiting for one of us to say something.

Getting tired of the stiff silence I opened my mouth to ask Annie how her day had been, but the sound of the living room door shutting announced the old man's arrival, so I clamped my mouth shut and waited.

Sure enough within a few minutes he stepped into the dinning room, looking between Billy and me then focusing on Annie.

"Having lunch." He said as he glared at her, it wasn't a question.

"Oh yes, the boy's looked awful hungry when they came in from the barn. I was actually just about to ask them how much work they had left this afternoon." Annie's voice was sickly sweet and a wide smile spread across her face. Her innocent look might have fooled others but not me, this was a power play.

Old man Templeton seemed to get it too, a muscle was twitching in his jaw as though he longed to tell her we had some long list of work to do. In reality I had no idea how much he wanted us to finish before the day was over.

"I wanted to talk to the boys about just that," He replied as he tore his gaze from Annie and directed it at each of us in turn, "You know I planned for you boys to have all the stalls rebuilt before dinner but given some thought I decided it was a bit much. The heat today is pretty bad so as long as you have at least three of the stalls done for the horses by dinner then the other three can wait." He tried to smile as he spoke but it came out as a twisted little grimace.

"Oh well that’s wonderful, I think you boys can manage that...William dear where are my manners, would you like something to eat?" Her voice now took on a falsely apologetic tone.

She was playing with him, and the muted look of fury on his face showed he knew it too.

"No thanks dear, Jack Murphy just pulled up outside; he needs me to run to town with him to pick up some cinderblocks for his brother. Seems his brother is sick and can't get them on his own. I might not be back till around dinner time." His voice and face had changed now. Usually it was easy to read the old man, he wore his emotions on his face, but now he seemed totally impassive, it was pretty freaky.

"Ok dear, we’ll see you then." Annie didn't seem to notice the change; she kept up with her cheeriness.

He didn't answer though, or tell her good bye; just gave her a curt nod before he left. Neither Billy nor I made any move to acknowledge his departure; Billy though wore a look befitting one who had just dodged a bullet.

I could sympathize; I had been expecting him to assign us more work to be done before dinner, when in fact he had lessened the amount. I didn't know what Annie had done but I was glad she did it.

                                                   *             *             *

"Mom what did you do?" I knew she had said something to my Dad; it was the only explanation of him lightening our workload.

"What are you talking about dear?" Mom flashed me a smile as she set our plates in the sink. That and the little twinkle in her eyes made her look innocent, I knew better.

"Dad isn't the type to lighten a workload based on a little humidity, especially not since David got here. You did or said something to him to get him to do this." I knew it was dumb to question good luck but I was worried about what she promised Dad in return.

Mom seemed to guess my thoughts and she suddenly looked sterner then I had seen her in a good number of years, though she didn't let it extend to her voice.

"Billy don't you worry about what I did. I know how to handle your Father, I've known him for a quite a few more years then you have. I know you're thinking that I must have made some sort of deal with him or some other such non-sense but I assure you I didn't. Just get on with your work and don't over exert yourself. I think between the two of you that you have plenty of energy and skill to get three stalls done by five." Her tone changed lightly and I could tell she was issuing me a challenge to get me motivated.

"I could get four stalls done on my own by five if I put myself to it." I may have known what she was doing but damnit if it didn't work.

"Well then grab your work buddy and get to it then." She cracked a wide smile and snapped her fingers at me like she did when I was a kid and she wanted me to hurry up with something.

"Deal." I left her in the kitchen and went out to the barn, David had already gone down.

David was already working on a stall when I got in to the barn. He already finished the frame and was starting on the siding. Putting the stall back together was actually going to be easier than taking them apart. My dad had already cut the wood for us so all we had to do was put them together.

All we had to do was set a four by four against the two by for on the ground, dad had cut a one inch deep by two inch wide piece out of the bottom so that it sat on as well as in front of the two by four on the ground to make it more stable as well as easier to nail into place. After it was nailed in place we laid another two by four across the top and nailed it into the piece already attached to the wall and the new four by four then nail on the particle board outside.

The only hard part was making sure we placed the nail at the points he had marked on the particle board, he had used pencil and hadn't marked them very plainly.

I worked a lot faster then I normally would have. My moms challenge wasn't the only thought that drove me; David had once again removed his shirt. As long as I kept my eyes averted it wasn't a problem but today they seem to have a mind of their own.

Inevitably I would find myself looking at him every few seconds, watching his muscles flex and ripple, his chest and back shining in sweat. For some reason though I wasn't getting the same reaction I normally did when I allowed myself to check him out.

There was no guilt or shame or overwhelming desire to cut off a body part either; in fact I was more annoyed than anything, but whether I was annoyed at myself for watching him or at him I wasn't sure. The annoyance was definitely an improvement though.

Once again I realized what I was doing and pulled my gaze away from the softball that was his bicep and tried to focus on my work.

                                                           *             *             *

I laid my hammer and a box of nails down on the work bench and admired our work. Three brand new horse stalls stood before me. As I relaxed I suppressed a laugh as Billy went from stall to stall checking the angles of the boards and the levels of the frames.

"Billy relax, not even your dad can find something to complain about. We kicked ass on this." He didn't listen though, just muttered something under his breath and kept checking the stalls, particularly the parts I worked on.

"Look, if you want to turn into a perfectionist on this then do it on your own work and leave mine alone. If your old man has something to criticize on my work then I'll take the heat." I said as I snatched the level out of his hand as he yet again tried to check the stall I built. I knew I was being a bit irrational but it was hot and I was more than a little annoyed.

Again he didn't say anything but yanked the level out of my loose grip and walked away.

I knew something was bugging him; he'd been getting more and more antsy ever since lunch. I let my own annoyance and feelings get the better of me, and forgetting my vow not to interfere or cause trouble for him, I went after him.

"You know I'm getting really sick of this shit. One second we can talk like normal people and the next you're acting like I'm the scum of the fucking earth. If you've got an issue with me then say it so we can get this resolved and try to spend the rest of this summer in some pale imitation of peace." Again I knew I was being way too irrational and just begging for trouble, but it was like I wasn't in control anymore, like reason had been given over to some bizarre instinct.

Billy stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at me. For a second he looked upset, even a little afraid but that was over fast. Quick as a lightening strike he was back to acting like a fucking prick and the look on his face suddenly made him look much more like his father.

"Yea, you're right, I do have a problem with you. You're arrogant, self absorbed and haven't done shit but cause problems since you've been here." His voice dripped with contempt and it took every ounce of my self control not to punch him across the jaw.

"I'm arrogant and self absorbed, wow you sound lust like your Daddy you know that? Like Father like son I guess, your brother was probably just as big an asshole as the two of you are," I knew this wasn't true but I was a little beyond reason at the moment, I wanted to piss him off, "As for having not done anything since I've been here I think most people would disagree in light of me helping to demolish six horse stalls and rebuild three of them in the same day, as well as keeping you from breaking your neck falling off a ladder." I didn't try defending myself on the causing problem accusation; I hadn't caused any that I knew of.

"I didn't ask for your help with the hay bales and I didn't need it on the horse stalls either. I'm only working with you because I have to and I could get done a helluva lot faster with out you around." Billy's hands curled into fists and his voice was low and angry as he spoke.

"You know what, you probably could get done faster without me here, seeing as you can't seem to keep from fucking staring at me when I'm around. I wonder why that is; maybe it’s because of that little nightmare you had last night?" I had crossed every line known to man with that sentence but I didn't care, Billy's face blanched as quickly as though someone had tossed a hand full of flour on him. I turned away to let him fume, which was a mistake.

I had barely gotten three steps when I felt Billy's fist come into contact with my side. I staggered and fell forward onto the floor of the barn as he landed too more punches just bellow my ribs.

I rolled on to my back and looked up at him; I was shocked not to see anger or malice on his face. His hands were still curled into fists and his face was full of confusion and fear.

If I had stopped to think for a minute I might have reacted differently, but I didn't. I was angry.

"You fucking chicken, only a coward attacks when your back is turned." I said as I struggled up to my feet.

"I'm not a coward." He said quietly, anger starting to contort his face.

"Then prove it, own up to the dirty little secret you're hiding; at least to yourself." I was raving at this point. I only knew that he was cutting for sure, all my other speculations were just that, speculations.

"You don't know shit, not a damn thing." Billy said, stepping closer to me. His voice full on anger and anxiety.

"I know about the wooden box under your bed, what is in it and what you do with it. I think that means I know a little more then you give me credit for." Billy's reaction was immediate; he stepped even closer to me and shoved me hard against the chest. At the same moment though I grabbed his arm and tried to toss him on to the floor, until he latched on to my other arm and pulled me with him.

Before I had time to register the pain of hitting the floor, again, Billy was on top of me trying to pin me to the ground. Before he got a hold on me I rolled and tried to do the same to him.

We kept at this for a few minutes, neither of us ever able to keep the other pinned, Billy would grab my arms and my torso trying to get a grip but he never tried to punch or injure me so I also refrained.

My temper had abated some from the exhaustion of the fight. I didn't want him hurt; I wanted to subdue him so this would be over.

My hands were slick with sweat and Billy managed to roll free from my grip and threw me off of him. Rolling onto his stomach he scrambled to get off the floor before I could get hold of him again.

As he got up I saw his shirt catch on something sticking out of the floor and watched as it ripped from the collar straight down his chest to the hem at the bottom.

I expected him to run once he was up but he didn't; just as I was getting to my feet he came at me again. I was against the wall this time and had an idea. This time he reared back with his fist and was about to punch me square in the face. As he swung at me I ducked down and around him and came up behind him.

He stopped short of slamming his fist against the wall and turned around to try again but before he could I slammed him back against the wall. Now he looked scared again and as he tried to move away I grabbed his hands and pinned them to the wall above his head then kicked his legs wide enough apart to keep him from trying to kick me.

"I also know you moaned my name in your sleep last night, and the tent in your boxers made it pretty obvious that you were having a good time. I know you remember it too or else you wouldn't have made sure I was still asleep before you bolted from the bedroom this morning." Billy struggled, trying to get out of my grip the whole time I spoke, but once I was done all the fight seemed to drain out of him.

"I know what you're going through, even if you don't think I do. I can help you if you'll let me." At these words Billy started to struggle again, but weakly, he also puffed out his torso; as if trying to press his chest against mine.

Suddenly realization hit me and without thinking I took a short step forward and pressed my torso against his; pressing Billy back against the wall.

Billy's eyes closed and a deep groan escaped his lips as I did so. Leaning in close I whispered to him quietly.

"This is exactly what you want isn't it?" I asked as I pressed my bare skin harder against him; making him moan again, “To have another guys body pressed against yours, the heat of bare skin slicked with sweat sliding against your own… You won't get it from me, not like this..." At this, Billy went completely slack in my grip and sagged against the wall. I let go of his wrists and his arms fell limply to his side.

Stepping back from him I surveyed his face. Somehow, I'm not sure how, but I could actually see the turmoil in him. Something in his eyes, in very way he held himself suddenly conveyed all the anger, pain, desire, shame and anguish that he felt, that he was.

"I'm sorry...” My voice cracked and broke as I looked at him, clearing my throat I tried again, “I’m sorry for all this. I'll do anything I can to help you, a sounding board for your pain, and a shoulder for you to cry on. Even a therapist if you want...But not this...not some sort of guilty pleasure." I knew he wouldn't say anything then, somehow.

I picked up my shirt from where it had slipped out of my belt during our fight and started for the house, pulling it on as I went; silently praying I had done the right thing, that for once listening to my instincts had paid off instead of blowing up in my face.

To be continued......
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I hope you all enjoyed the chapter; I will have more to you soon. As always I love to get your thoughts and opinions so feel free to email me at allenarcane88@yahoo.com, drop me a PM, write me a review or visit the discussion forum.

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