Porcupines - 12. Chapter 12 - Unk

Chapter 12 - Unk

“Absolutely not. I don’t want that obnoxious sexist jerk coming with us.”

“Come on. He doesn’t have any friends here yet and this would give him a chance to meet some people.”

“He’s weird and can’t handle social situations.”

“Then we’ll just introduce him around a little. Make him feel more comfortable.”

“No. We can’t do this. All your friends are going to think I’m a loud-mouthed freak like him,” Chuck said. He wished he’d never said anything about Raleigh’s begging to come to the party. It was just an offhanded comment but Dylan saw this as doing a good deed.

“He just moved here and lives with his mother and sick aunt. He’s not gonna meet people if we don’t help. It sounds like he’s just lonely. That’s why he tries too hard and makes inappropriate comments,” Dylan reasoned. “Let’s give him a chance.”

Chuck thought this was a bad idea but he had a really hard time saying no to Dylan. He was pleading with him using his beautiful bright blue eyes. His face implored Chuck.

“Okay. But if he makes one nasty comment I’m dragging his ass away from the party and home.”

“Thank you Chuck,” Dylan said. “I know it’ll be just fine. You’ll see. Besides, I have friends who are inappropriate and annoying.”

“Isaac!” They said in unison and laughed together.

They were in the car headed over to Chuck’s house to meet his sister and nephew. Dylan was a little anxious but also really excited. Usually it was him who dragged the guy to meet family first. This time he was being introduced first. It was thrilling and then tonight…

“So what is Kelli like?” Dylan asked.

“She’s nice, over-protective, and pretty funny. I think you’ll like her. She’s been good to me,” Chuck said turning on the blinker.

“So Kelli has no issues with you being gay?” Dylan asked. “She’s not going to think I’m corrupting you is she?”

“Kelli probably thinks I’m corrupting you,” Chuck laughed as he drove into the parking garage of the apartment complex.

Dylan grabbed the flowers from the back seat and took a deep breath. This was so new, what he and Chuck had. Butterflies were whipping around his stomach. He hoped he could eat.

They made their way up the stairs and Chuck unlocked the door. “You ready for this,” he asked and leaned down to give Dylan a quick kiss.

“Yep. Let’s do this,” Dylan said and took another deep breath. The door flew open before Chuck had a chance to turn the knob.

“Hi Unk!” a little brown-haired boy said and grabbed Chuck’s leg.

“Hi yourself. I see I’m now a Brandon-mobile,” Chuck stepped into the apartment with the little boy wrapped around his leg. “Sis, I found a monkey at the door!” he called out. A dark-haired woman that was the older female version of the little boy came around a corner wiping her hands on a dishtowel.

“You did. He’s missed his uncle,” she said. Brandon untangled himself from Chuck legs. Suddenly, the little boy realized Dylan was there too and ran to hide behind his mother’s legs.

“Who’s he?” Brandon said sucking on his thumb. Kelli smiled at them.

“I’m Chuck’s sister Kelli and you must be Chuck’s kidnapper,” she reached out to Dylan. Dylan walked forward and shook her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you. Sorry I’ve been taking up so much of Chuck’s time,” he said blushing.

“That’s okay. I would have thought he’d fallen off the face of the earth but his dirty clothes kept appearing in the laundry.”

“I have been working a lot too,” Chuck said his face flushed.

“So Dylan’s couch is that much closer to work?” Kelli teased. “Because of The Vow, I know Chuck must be sleeping there and not in bed with you.”

“Kelli!” Chuck said. Both boys were beet red and Kelli laughed at them.

“Chuck told you about our Nanna’s crazy vow thing right?” Kelli giggled. Dylan nodded and smiled at her. “Chuck has been very careful to make sure he doesn’t break that promise. He reminds me of it every time I have a date.”

“Sis. You’re being rude to our guest.”

“Dylan. It’s good to meet you. Chuck has mentioned you once or twice.”

“You have a very nice apartment,” Dylan said looking around. Chuck was mouthing, ‘stop embarrassing me’ to Kelli and she just laughed again.

“Dinner’s almost ready. Brandon, do you want to say hi to your uncle’s friend Dylan?” The little boy shook his head violently. “Okay. Well, we’ll see,” she said and turned back into the kitchen.

“Hope you’re in the mood for comfort food,” Kelli said returning with a platter of meatloaf and a big bowl of mashed potatoes. “I’m not the cook in the family. Chuck is.”

“I really like Unk’s cooking. He makes good food,” Brandon said from between Kelli’s legs.

“I know,” Dylan said to Brandon. “He makes the best breakfasts and dinners too.”

“Breakfasts huh,” Kellly said. “Need a hearty breakfast after a night of vigorous exercise.”

“Stop it Kelli,” Chuck warned but couldn’t help but chuckle at her.

“Mommy, we exercise in the afternoon. Why are Unk and that guy exercising at night?” Brandon asked tugging on his mom’s shorts.

“Never mind,” Kelli said. “Enough of that. Let me get the salad and corn and we’ll eat.

All four of them started digging in. “This is delicious sis,” Chuck said. Dylan agreed. Brandon watched Dylan very closely as he filled his mouth with potatoes.

“So Kelli, what do you do, for a living I mean?” Dylan asked.

“I’m a home healthcare RN. I mostly visit people who’ve had traumatic brain injuries during the early part of their therapy.”

“That sounds like rewarding, but emotional work,” Dylan said.

“It is but I love it. Really get to help people. What do you do?” Kelli asked.

“I work at a restaurant in the mall called Sweet Nora’s as a waiter,” Dylan said.

“But he’s going back to get his doctorate in history. Kelli, Dylan’s going to be a college professor,” Chuck added quickly.

“Is that right? Chuck’s dating a future college professor. Nice,” Kelli said.

“I told Chuck he needs to enroll in cooking school. He has such a talent for it he should be a chef,” Dylan said and looked with pride at Chuck. Kelli caught the look and was impressed. The two had been together less than two weeks and were bragging about the other.

“I’ve been telling Chuck that for a year,” Kelli said.

“I know sis. I think you might be right. I love cooking,” Chuck said. “Dylan found a school right here in the city and I think I might apply. We could go to school at the same time.”

Kelli stopped chewing. They were planning for the future, together? This couldn’t be.

“How long have you known each other?” she asked taking another bite but watching them closely.

“You know sis. Dylan got mugged last week and that was when I met him,” Chuck said, confused.

“He probably chased off the mugger and saved my life,” Dylan said looking at her brother. These two were a lot more than a couple of guys starting to date. What was Chuck thinking?

“You guys are taking this really quickly,” she said smiling. “I mean I think it’s great you guys met and started going out. Dylan you seem like a very nice, very together man but you’re planning to go to school at the same time?”

“We were just talking about how it would be nice to go to classes at the same time and study together. We were just talking about it,” Dylan said getting nervous. He never considered Chuck’s sister would think they were taking this too fast. Why would she care?

“I think that’s a great idea. I’m just saying you two have just met. You hardly know each other. It just seems you’re really making a lot of plans together,” Kelli said sweetly taking another bite of meatloaf. She could see Dylan was anxious and Chuck was looking at his plate. “I just think you should take it a date at a time. It’s so new.”

“Kelli, this is the man I love and…” Chuck slapped his hand over his mouth. ‘Oh my Gawd. Did I just say that? What have I done?’ He couldn’t look back up.

Kelli had her hand to her throat. Brandon looked at Dylan through squinty eyes. Dylan had dropped his fork.

“What I meant to say was, I, er, I really like being with Dylan and,” Chuck looked up at Dylan who was looking back at him, not in horror but with a smile that was growing every second. Kelli watched them. Chuck was terrified. Dylan seemed to accept the excited utterance gracefully. Brandon watched the adults closely.

Dylan reached over, placed his hand on Chuck’s, and said to him, “Maybe your sister’s right. We are moving really fast. But, for the record, I love you too.”

Chuck nodded to his boyfriend. Dylan’s eyes filled with tears. Kelli thought she was going to fall over but her brother was so happy. She couldn’t believe this. It was happening but it seemed surreal. Chuck took Dylan’s hand in his. They both smiled so sincerely at each other.

“I’m sorry,” Kelli said. “I didn’t know. I’m very happy for you both and I think your plans sound great. If you guys, love each other, I think you should go for it.”

“Why is everyone crying?” Brandon asked with concern in his voice.

“Because we’re so happy,” Kelli said to her son. “And we just heard some really good news.”

The rest of dinner wasn’t nearly as heavy. They ate and chatted. Kelli and Chuck bantered back and forth. They told Dylan family stories of their parents and about each other. Dylan found out Chuck broke his ankle after falling out of a tree when he was eleven. The male cousins had competed to be the one that climbed the highest. The first time Kelli got drunk, Chuck had to carry her home and help her sneak into the kitchen window so her parents didn’t find out.

Dylan listened, rapt as the brother and sister joshed each other with stories. “How about you Dylan? Do you have any siblings?”

“I have a brother whose name is also Kelli. I have a niece who is four years old.”

“Really. That is quite the coincidence,” Kelli said. “Chuck have you met Dylan’s brother yet.”

“No,” Dylan said. “But we plan on doing so next weekend. I think my Kelli would like to meet him.”

Chuck smiled at Dylan’s plans. This was turning out to be a very special dinner.

“Dillwin, will you read me a book?” Brandon asked him as they finished dinner.

“Sure,” Dylan smiled over at the little trooper. “Do you want to pick one out?”

“Yeah. I’ll get it.” Brandon ran into the living room to the bookshelves. In a moment he was back with the book and held it out to Dylan. “Dillwin, can I sit on your lap?”

“Of course.” Dylan picked Brandon up and started reading him the book. Kelli watched them and smiled. She leaned over to Chuck.

“Can you help me with the dishes?”

“Yep,” Chuck said. “Thanks for tonight. I really appreciate it.”

“He seems perfect for you Chuck. I hope I’m right. I hope you’re right.”

“I’ve never felt happier in my life,” Chuck said. Kelli remembered he’d said that twice before. She didn’t believe him back then, but she kind of believed him now. It had to be enough.

Dylan was Brandon’s new best friend after reading his three of his favorite books. It seemed Dylan would also read them twice to Brandon without complaint.

“Dillwin, are you gonna be my Unk too?” he’d asked Dylan.

“If you want me to be I will,” Dylan hugged him closer.

“Let me down,” he said. After safely landing on the floor, the little boy went running into the kitchen. “Mommy. Can Dillwin be my unk too? He said he would.”

“That sounds nice,” Kelli said. She looked up at Chuck and he had tears in his eyes again.

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

“I hope tonight didn’t scare you,” Chuck said. “I really wanted to tell you I love you tonight. But I wanted to do it after Kelli’s not at her house.”

“It certainly shocked me,” Dylan said. “But I meant what I said. These past few days have been the best of my life. Well, the best since, you know, Ron.”

Chuck felt good, but a twinge of jealousy also crept up his neck. He wondered if he’d ever be as important to Dylan as Ron had been. Not that it mattered. Ron was dead. Chuck was here with Dylan. That would have to be enough. Maybe Dylan could learn to feel about him like he did for Ron.

“Dylan, come here.” Chuck opened his arms hugged his boyfriend, the man he loved.

“Yes darling boy,” Dylan said kissing his neck and rubbing his back.

“I’m ready for you to serve me,” Chuck whispered. “I need you.”

Chuck led Dylan into the bedroom. He slowly undressed Dylan gently kissing and touching his body as clothes were removed. Once Dylan was on the bed in his altogether, Chuck started to strip. He stopped at his boxers, tonight was powder blue but just as translucent as the white ones. The light showed Chuck’s silhouette as the essence of a man. Chuck wasn’t a dancer. He was a simple, spare man who was trying to seduce his lover. It worked.

Chuck took the band of his boxers and started to shimmy them down his thighs. He got them to his knees. The band slipped out of his left hand. It snapped and when Chuck quickly reached back to get the waistband. He lost his balance and went down onto the floor.

“Chuck, are you okay?” Dylan said trying to stop from laughing. When Chuck went down, it was so funny. At first Chuck was humiliated. He was sitting balls out on the floor with his boyfriend in bed smirking and barely containing his laughter. He felt like crying from embarrassment. Then, a miracle happened. Dylan was leaning over the bottom edge of the bed and began to teeter.

“Whoa,” Dylan said and almost regained his balance. But, not quite. He toppled over onto Chuck. Two mostly naked men lay in a tangle on the floor. They both started laughing together. It ended in kissing, then biting. Finally, they were rubbing against each other, out of control.

Dylan did, in fact, mark his territory that night, in more ways than one.

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

After they’d finished making love, Dylan went to get them beers. Chuck lay on the bed, on his stomach relishing the feelings coursing through his body. He sighed and couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt so complete with someone. It was like he’d been a virgin before tonight.

Dylan returned and handed him a beer. He sat on the floor his arms around his knees and looked up at Chuck who was looking so happy, his eyes half shut but a smile gracing his lips. They drank from the bottles and didn’t know what to say. It was at times like these, both men were a bit in awe of their feelings.

Chuck broke the silence. “Dillwin, tell me a story,” he said attempting to impersonate his nephew and doing a passable job of it. Dylan looked up and smirked.

“Well, there once was a young lad named Chuck. And he really could take a good…”

“Not a dirty limerick,” Chuck said laughing and threw a pillow at his boyfriend. “Dillwin, tell me a nice story,” he said, pretending to pout. Dylan thought Chuck couldn’t be more adorable right now and thought for a moment.

“Once upon a time,” Dylan started again. “There was this man named Dillwin and he worked in a tavern in the village.”

“So Dillwin was a bar wench?” Chuck teased.

“I’ll give you a bar wrench,” Dylan laughed back grabbing himself. “Now who’s telling this story anyway?”

“You are. Continue,” Chuck said nodding at him.

“So, one night a frightful ogre robbed poor Dillwin and took all of his night’s wages. Dillwin was very sad because the ogre had smite him and made his head hurt. But, just when Dillwin feared the terrible ogre would inflict more pain upon him, a knight on a white horse came racing to the rescue.”

“What was the knight’s name?” Chuck asked grinning ear to ear.

“The noble knight’s name was Unk,” Dylan answered. “No more interruptions.”

Chuck just nodded to Dylan who was looking even more delicious in the faint light of the bedside lamp.

“Well, the knight carried Dillwin to his home and nursed his aching head and gave him an elixir made of peas. Dillwin didn’t know it, but that elixir was magic. When he woke the next day, the knight was gone and so was his heart. The knight had taken it with him without even knowing it.

“Dillwin searched high and low to find his knight and take back his heart. He asked all the other villagers but only one knew his name and where he lived, in the castle behind a moat. Dillwin went to the castle and knocked on the door. To his surprise, Unk, his knight in shining armor answered. Dillwin asked for his heart back but alas, the knight couldn’t give it back. It was already inside him, hidden. Unk was a brave and noble man so instead of leaving Dillwin without a heart, he gave him his own.”

Dylan stopped his tale and he saw Chuck had tears in his eyes. He couldn’t finish the story because he didn’t know the ending.

“Did they live happily ever after?” Chuck asked, his voice cracking.

“I hope so,” Dylan said softly. “I really hope so.”