Porcupines - 11. Chapter 11- Going Public

Chapter 11 – Going Public

“Hey sis, what’s going on?” Dylan was listening as Chuck called his sister to arrange a meeting with him. He watched as Chuck set up the date. He could only hear the one side of the conversation but his boyfriend was clearly getting his chain tugged by her.

“I just want to get together for dinner. ….. Yes, I know we live together but I want you to meet someone.”

“No, it’s not a coworker,” Chuck said nervously.

“No, I haven’t been kidnapped. This isn’t a coded message.”

“Come on Kelli. You wanna wait until next month? Can’t we set this up for this week?”

“Yeah. This is kinda important to me.”

“You’re just teasing me now. You know this is about The Vow,” Chuck said exasperated.

“He’s sitting right here. I’m not going to describe him to you.”

“I haven’t broke The Vow,” Chuck lied and Dylan started laughing. Chuck mouthed, “She can hear you!”

“Maybe we’ve done a little. Would you stop it? Okay, not tomorrow night but the following. Sounds good. Yes, we can wait that long. Bye sis,” Chuck said and hung up on her.

“She’s impossible.”

“I heard,” Dylan said coming up next to Chuck. “We gotta wait two whole days before we can have sex again.”

“We don’t have to wait on everything,” Chuck smiled and put his arms around Dylan with his hands on his butt.

“Nope. I’m not going to contribute to your delinquency any more than I have,” Dylan teased. He leaned over and licked Chuck’s neck. “We are going to be chaste and pure until your sister gives her blessing.”

“If you wish,” Chuck said pulling Dylan closer. “Or, we could do some of the things we’ve already done,” Chuck traced the other man’s earlobe. Dylan shivered.

“Naughty boy. You are getting no more lovin’ until I get the go ahead from your sister. You’re going to have to wait mister,” Dylan said kissing the tip of his nose virtuously and delicately running a finger up Chuck’s arm.

“You keep doing that and I’ll have you on the floor right here,” Chuck warned as he squirmed under Dylan’s fingers.

“It’ll make it even more exciting if we have to wait,” Dylan said kissing the other side of his neck. “Just think. Two days of looking at this and getting nothing.” Dylan turned his back to his lover and shook his moneymaker.

Chuck groaned. For a brief moment, he questioned why he told Dylan about The Vow. “Okay. We’ll do it your way.”

“Are you staying over tonight?” Dylan asked kissing Chuck on the lips.

“Can I?” Chuck asked.

“Of course,” Dylan said. “But you’ll have to keep this in your jammies.” Dylan squeezed Chuck’s groin playfully. He could feel Chuck was very excited but he wanted to honor his grandmother’s wishes. She sounded like a pretty cool old lady.

“Then we’d better stop the teasing,” Chuck said stepping back and holding his arms out. “Otherwise, I may accidently ravage you in my sleep.”

Dylan laughed. They sat together on the couch and watched a little more television. It was about midnight and they both had to work in the morning, Chuck far earlier than Dylan, but it was getting late for them both.

Chuck went to get ready for bed. He’d started bringing a backpack with clothes and personal items the last couple of days. They weren’t living together but after the second night together, he realized he needed an emergency night bag, just in case he didn’t have time to go home before work.

Dylan got up a few moments after Chuck went into the bathroom. He stood in the hall just watching the dark haired man. Chuck had only his boxers on, simple white cotton ones that didn’t leave much to the imagination. ‘Or maybe just enough,’ Dylan thought.

He looked at Chuck brushing his teeth. The guy was more handsome than he’d first thought. He had a narrow face but pleasing with a jawline beard and a wispy little mustache. Of course, Chuck also had those brilliant icy blue eyes. They were so sexy.

Chuck’s build was slim but ropy with muscles. He wasn’t really built, but spare and tight. There were little tufts of hair at each nipple and in between. A little spare treasure trail led down to his underwear and the thin cloth was translucent in the bathroom light showing more than it hid. In this light, he looked so sexy.

Chuck leaned over to spit and cup water in his hands to rinse. The thin fabric stretched across his slim hips as he bent over. He didn’t have much of a butt and the dark crevasse looked so inviting. Dylan involuntarily licked his lips.

‘I want to mark my territory,’ Dylan thought to himself. ‘I want to make him mine.’ These thoughts surprised him. He didn’t think about sex like that. Sex was fun, exciting, and it felt really good. He didn’t usually connect it as being the glue in a relationship. He’d always just thought of it as a part of a relationship not as a way to bond. That was interesting.

He walked up to Chuck’s back and pressed against him. Chuck was a little taller than he was, about 5’8” so he could look at Chuck’s reflection over his shoulder. “You’re so hot,” Dylan growled into Chuck’s ear and bit his boyfriend’s neck lightly.

Chuck looked up into the mirror and smiled. “Can’t wait huh? I should’ve stripped down to my boxers earlier.”

“No. I wanna wait but you’ve got me so excited Chuck,” Dylan said looking back in the mirror.

“I can feel it,” Chuck said grinning to Dylan’s reflection. He could too, and it was making the wait until they went to meet Kelli an especially difficult task. He turned and looked Dylan deeply with a dirty grin.

“You want me to help you with that?” He started to get to his knees.

“No. We’re going to wait. I just wanted you to know how you make me feel,” Dylan said pulling him back up. Dylan stepped back while waving his hands. “Not tonight or tomorrow night. But Thursday night. Oh, you are going to get it that night.”

Chuck adjusted himself and threw up his hands in defeat.

**********************************

“Does she have a sister?” Raleigh asked Chuck as they did their rounds the next day.

“Does who have a sister?” Chuck asked, confused. They were checking around the perimeter of the mall. Unfortunately, outside away from the public Raleigh was free to be his annoying piggish self.

“The sweet pussy that’s got you all happy and shit,” he said.

“I told you. I don’t have a girlfriend. So, the woman you imagine me having sex with doesn’t have a sister unless you want to make one up.”

“You’re just not telling me,” Raleigh said. “You were such a moody bitch before. Now you’re walking on cloud nine. The only thing that does that to a dude is some nice, hot, wet poontang.”

Chuck didn’t respond to his coworker at first. They finished up and went through into the security door and into the office. Krill was at his desk typing furiously into the computer. He didn’t even notice the two come in.

“Mind if I take my break now,” Chuck asked.

“You haven’t yet?” Krill said absently.

“No. I wanted to wait until now,” Chuck said.

“Then go for it,” Krill said without looking up. He was deeply engrossed with the security reports to give to the mall businesses. It was something he did monthly. The business owners and managers seemed to appreciate being kept up to speed. This month’s was a couple days late and that bugged him. He didn’t hear what Chuck said as he headed for the mall entrance door.

“You know what else can make some guys really happy Raleigh?” Before the blond guard could answer him, Chuck said. “A really hot dude,” and Chuck left Raleigh with his handsome but annoying face aghast.

“Did you hear that?” Raleigh said to Krill who was trying very hard to ignore him.

“Yep, Chuck is happy,” Krill said into the computer screen. “Now shut up Raleigh.”

Raleigh stroked his blond stubbly face and thought, ‘Who’da thunk it.’

******************************************

“Sorry this is late Ms. Watley,” Krill said to the owner of the restaurant.

“I’ve told you to call me Lynora,” she said absently while looking across her restaurant at the duo sitting at table F-10. She watched the two intently. Dylan was like a son to her. After Ron, he’d simply fallen to pieces but in a way only she knew about. He tried so hard to hide from the pain he’d felt. Most people do so after a lover departs, but for Dylan, it had been even more difficult, with good reason. In the past week, Dylan had returned to the sweet, lovable boy she knew a year ago, before Ron’s death. It made her eyes misty with joy.

Krill followed Lynora’s eyes to the two young men. “What’s Chuck doing here eating? He’s on duty.”

“Don’t you dare say a word,” Lynora said touching Krill’s beefy, hairy arm. “That employee of yours probably saved that boy’s life. Just let them be.”

Krill watched the two guys. Their heads were close to one another. They were eating, laughing, and talking quietly. He saw Chuck reach over with a napkin and wipe a smudge of ketchup off the other boy’s cheek. It was a very intimate gesture, one that spoke of physical comfort in each other’s space.

“The boy sitting with your boy Chuck is Dylan McMahon.”

“The guy that got mugged? The one Chuck took home?” Krill said understanding finally. “Is that when they became buddies?”

“I believe that is how they met. I think they started dating the next evening,” Lynora confirmed. “They seem to be quite the item. Dylan introduced him to me as his boyfriend. That’s quick even for gays.”

Something suddenly dawned on Krill. “So Raleigh was right. Chuck was getting laid.”

“Nonsense. They’re in love. I don’t think they’ve admitted it yet, not even to themselves but they are in love. That’s what makes people change overnight, not a couple of orgasms,” Lynora leaned toward Krill. She could smell his aftershave, something fresh and clean.

“I never would have guessed Chuck was gay.”

“He isn’t as obvious as some of my boys, but he is completely smitten with Dylan. Just look at them,” Lynora said. “It makes me feel so hopeful about life when I see things like that.”

Krill had to admit they looked like a really happy couple. He wasn’t terribly comfortable with guys being with other guys, but the transformation in Chuck had been amazing. He was happy for them. “Is it okay with you if Chuck comes down and eats with Dylan on his breaks in the future?” Krill had leaned closely to Lynora and caught a whiff of her perfume, something flowery and heady. He tried not to sniff too deeply and offend her.

“I don’t mind,” she said. “As long as they want to.”

Krill looked down at Lynora and smiled. He hadn’t dated in a very long while. His last divorce had left him afraid of being hurt again. But Lynora? She was a woman he could enjoy getting to know. It would give him something to do and someone to share the long winter nights with. Winter wasn’t that far away.

Chuck touched the back of Dylan’s hand, “So I told Raleigh that for some of us a really hot man can also make a guy happier. You’d have thought I told him I’d murdered someone. He was speechless.”

“You don’t think he’ll harass you now, do you?” Dylan asked but smiled at Chuck’s directness.

“Naw. I’m not worried about that loud-mouthed sexist pig. I think Krill is cool.”

“Isn’t that Krill over gabbing with Lynora?” Dylan said eating a French fry.

“Oh shit!” Chuck exclaimed. “I’m not supposed to be in a restaurant eating. I’m supposed to eat outside or in the break room.” He started getting up.

Dylan grabbed his hand and pulled him back. “Lynora will handle it. She’s talking with him. He’d have said something before now if it wasn’t cool.”

“How do you know he’s not pissed at me?”

Dylan shook his head. “They’ve been looking over here for the past ten minutes watching us and talking. Lynora’s telling him about us.”

“Well,” Chuck said moving closer to his boyfriend. “Let’s hope he is cool with me being gay. I need my job.”

“Don’t worry about it. Say, being cool reminds me of something. Kenny’s having a party this Saturday night, a bonfire. Will you go with me?” Dylan asked.

“Do I get to hold your hand and feed you S’mores?” Chuck asked with a grin.

“You can feed me anything you want,” Dylan said with a wink. “But not until after tomorrow night.”

Chuck blushed but ran his hand up Dylan’s leg. Dylan winked again.

************************************

“I’m sorry about eating at Sweet Nora’s. I know I wasn’t supposed to but my friend Dylan asked me to come by and…”

“You can eat with Dylan any time you want,” Krill said. “Just don’t order alcohol on duty and I don’t want to hear that you’ve taken advantage of my trust.”

“I won’t Krill. I would never do that,” Chuck promised. He could see Raleigh out of the corner of his eye. He wasn’t exactly thrilled about having to deal with that doorknob. His blond, hunky coworker was gnawing on his thumbnail and looking inquisitively at them.

“One more scoot around the perimeter and that’s it for this shift,” Krill ordered.

Now I have to talk to Raleigh outside, again. Chuck was not going to enjoy this last task of the day.

“Let’s get going,” he said and Raleigh followed him quietly. They started walking around the first side of the mall looking for issues. Strangely enough, Raleigh was quiet for the first half of their perimeter review. Maybe telling him he was queer would shut him up. Chuck hoped so but feared that wouldn’t be the case.

“So, were you just yanking my chain or are you really gay?” Raleigh asked. “Cause I’m cool with that. I don’t care if you’re gay. I’m just wondering.”

“Yes, I’m gay. I have a new relationship with a guy who works at Sweet Nora’s.”

“Cool. That’s good,” Raleigh said distracted. “I’ve never met a gay guy before so it is just weird for me.”

“I’ve never met a guy from Wyoming who talks so much so that’s weird for me too,” Chuck said looking around trying to avoid more conversation.

“Listen, I’m also a really good listener so if you ever need to talk about stuff. You can talk to me,” Raleigh said grabbing Chuck’s arm.

“What?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s just. I moved here not too long ago and I haven’t met many friends yet and I live with my mom so. You know. If you ever want to go have a drink or play pool or go to a movie or something, I’m cool with you being gay and all,” Raleigh was rambling and Chuck was really confused. He decided to screw with him a little.

“Dude, it sounds like you’re asking me on a date or something. I’ve got a boyfriend.”

“No. That’s not…I just… I just wanted you to know it’s cool you’re gay and if you want a friend, I’m here for you.”

“Nice to know,” Chuck said. “What’s that up there?”

“Just a bird’s nest. We’ll get maintenance to remove it. So, what are you guys doing this weekend?” Raleigh asked suddenly.

“Dylan’s friends are having a party,” Chuck said and realized he’d just stepped in it.

“Dude. I’m so into parties. Can I come? I’d love to meet some people and shit. Oh, can I come with you guys?” Raleigh was dancing around Chuck like a damned excited puppy.

“I don’t think so,” Chuck said dashing his coworker’s hopes.

“Why not? It would be fun hanging out with you guys outside work. I’m really a fun party guy,” which of course made Chuck think he was probably a gigantic drip that would embarrass them.

“Naw. Not my place to invite others. Besides, this will be my first time meeting Dylan’s friends.”

“Cool, so I could come with and really talk you up to them,” Raleigh said, trying to find an angle.

“NO!!” Chuck said loudly. “You’ll just talk about pussies and hot titties and make me look like I have loser friends.”

“I wouldn’t do that. I really won’t. I’ll never talk about those things again if you just let me come with you guys to the party. You’ll see. I’m cool. Just think about it.” Raleigh begged. “Dude, I’m really lonely and just wanna met some people to hang out with.”

Chuck could understand that and he would think about it but he didn’t think he wanted Raleigh at the first party Dylan and he attended together. No way. He couldn’t imagine what a disaster that would be.

Raleigh looked so pleased though. Gawd, he hated being put in this position. There was no way he wanted someone like Raleigh around Saturday night. Chuck thought about how lonely he’d been when he first moved to the Cities. Maybe, if Raleigh acted like a decent guy?

No way. Not Raleigh.

But Chuck’s heart went out to the guy…