Porcupines - 20. Chapter 20 - The Key to Happiness

Chapter 20 – The Key to Happiness

Chuck woke up feeling pretty down. He hadn’t slept well. First, after a nice evening with Kelli and Brandon, he went back to his bedroom pretty happy. Once he climbed into bed, his thoughts turned to Dylan. He could see his cute face and bright blue eyes and that lush little smile. He ached to run his fingers through his boy’s thick golden brown chest hair. Chuck could almost smell his boyfriend. But he was all alone in his bed. He’d curled up with a second pillow and finally the sandman came, but not without issues.

He kept waking up grabbing for Dylan next to him. Chuck would shake his head and drop back off into an uneasy sleep. He tossed and turned all night and awoke early, just after six am. Too early to call Dylan since the dark red-haired man had closed last night. He got out of bed, went to the bathroom and went back to his room. He felt rough. It wasn’t a good feeling. After throwing on sweat shorts and a t-shirt he headed to the kitchen. As a matter of routine, he checked his phone though he didn’t get many calls. Checking was habit.

He had two missed calls. Shit. With his luck, it was Krill calling to ask him to come into work. Raleigh probably called in sick, again. The only kind of sick his big blond friend could be was lovesick. He knew from talking with his coworker that he and Isaac had been inseparable since the party. He looked at the call record. One call from Raleigh and another from Dylan! He listened to Dylan’s message first.

“Hey Hun, hope you had a good evening with Kel and Brandon. You’re probably in bed. If you do get this, come out and see me. Isaac and I are going to the Rail for a drink. Raleigh is meeting us there. I miss you. Gawd, I sound needy. Sorry about that. If you get this, come out for a drink with me. Bye.”

The blue funk Chuck had been in disappeared like a puff of smoke in the wind. Dylan missed him. Hearing his voice and that Dylan wanted to see him last night made everything seem better. He wanted to call his boyfriend but it was way too early to call him. He wanted so badly to see him, hold him, to see Dylan’s eyes sparkle. Shit!

He listened to Raleigh’s message.

“Dude, are you in bed already? Isaac called and he and Dylan are going to the Rail for a drink. I’ll pick you up if you want. I’m heading out in a minute. Gawd, I miss that little guy, even though I saw him this afternoon. Anyway, call me.”

Chuck erased Raleigh’s message and listened to Dylan’s again. It made him feel so much better. Not just better, more than that. He felt incredibly happy.

Chuck was about ready to call and leave his boyfriend a message but thought better of it. He’d better wait until Dylan got some sleep. No reason to wake him up. He started the coffee maker and pulled out his computer to check his email.

After checking his email and the news, he tooled around the web and watched a couple of YouTube videos. Some dumb. Some pretty cool. His phone rang. It was probably Raleigh calling to bend his ear about how funny or sexy or sweet Isaac was. The man had it bad.

“Hey,” Chuck answered looking at the description of another video.

“Hi Hun,” he heard Dylan say. He sounded pretty tired. What was he doing up so early? Chuck looked at the clock. It was only about seven am.

“You’re up early, sweetie,” Chuck said smiling into the phone.

“I couldn’t sleep. I was cold,” Dylan yawned. “I miss my little hot water bottle keeping me warm.”

“It’s eighty degrees out this morning,” Chuck laughed.

“Alright. I miss you sleeping next to me.”

“I didn’t sleep too well either,” Chuck confessed. “I missed you too.”

“Come over,” Dylan whined. “I need an amazing Chuck breakfast to get me through the day.”

“Okay. Let me take a shower.”

“I have a shower,” Dylan teased. “I could wash your back for you.”

“I have a feeling you have something else in mind,” Chuck was beaming through the phone.

“You, my darling boy, have a filthy mind. I like that in a man,” Dylan said.

Chuck and Dylan said goodbye and he was out of the apartment in approximately 86 seconds, give or take a couple of seconds.

When Chuck got to Dylan’s door, he knocked and didn’t hear anything. He tried the knob and found the door open. He opened it slowly, “Dylan, you okay?”

Dylan was lying on the couch facing the door. He opened up one eye when he heard his name.

“Come lay with me. I’m so tired,” he mumbled but there was a slight, contented smile on his lips.

Chuck quietly closed the door. He walked into the darkened apartment and stood by the sofa watching Dylan’s slow, even breaths.

“As you wish,” Chuck whispered and kicked off his shoes. After removing his jeans and shirt, he slipped behind Dylan and embraced his boyfriend. Dylan wiggled back pressing his cute bubble butt against Chuck’s front. Chuck sighed and when he breathed in he could smell him. ‘He smells like home,’ Chuck thought. It made him smile happily and he snuggled closer to Dylan’s back. In a matter of seconds, both guys were deeply asleep. They finally got some real rest.

Two hours later, the two men awoke and whispered to each other. It wasn’t anything significant. It was the quiet sharing of their need and joy. Finally, Dylan gave Chuck a big wet kiss and jumped off the couch.

“I’m ready for my breakfast now. You may serve me,” he joked. Chuck sat up, he was obvious with his morning wood. “I think I’ll need payment first. I seem to have an issue,” he pointed towards himself.

“Well, if payment is required before breakfast, I guess I’ll have to take care of the bill.”

Dylan took Chuck’s hand and pulled him up. He reached down and grasped Chuck and kissed him deeply a couple of times. “I don’t think I’ll need my credit card for this.”

Chuck reached around Dylan and grasped one ample cheek in each hand. “Nope, I think your other assets will work much better.” The taller, dark haired man leaned down and kissed Dylan again. Dylan returned the kiss passionately.

He shivered as Chuck’s tongue tickled his palate, he moaned into Chuck’s mouth. “Chuck, I love you,” Dylan gasped and they attacked each other’s mouths again.

After, a few minutes of frantic grunting and sweat, Dylan began panting. The two merged together as one and cried out. Chuck made sweet love to his man. Dylan moaned as their rapture culminated. Chuck groaned and shuddered.

That was quite the morning wakeup call. They never did make it back to the bedroom.

Chuck stepped back and saw Dylan lying across the arm of the sofa. “I didn’t hurt you did I?” Chuck said catching his breath. “Are you okay?”

Dylan slowly rolled to his side and looked up at his lover. His hair was going in all directions. “Oh, no. That was fantastic. I never knew I could feel so dirty but with you it feels so good.” He was smiling mischievously at Chuck. “You bring out the inner slut in me. I loved it.” Dylan shook his head clearing the cobwebs of passion. Chuck grinned, relieved. He worried he’d gone too far. But, Dylan seemed to have enjoyed being ravished in the living room. ‘I could get used to this,’ both men thought to themselves.

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

After Dylan retired to the bathroom for a much needed shower, Chuck looked in the fridge to see what he could make for breakfast. He saw some shrimp, pepper jack, eggs, a bit of leftover Andouille sausage and half a tomato. He started heating up a pan with butter and olive oil. He quickly reduced the scraps into small, diced pieces. Chuck whisked the eggs with some milk and seasonings. He added a dash of cayenne and paprika, garlic powder and thyme. With the pan now hot, he dumped some frozen hash browns into the oil and heavily salted and peppered the potatoes. He covered and waited for the potatoes to cook.

Dylan came into the kitchen wearing just cute little boxers and rubbing his hair with a towel. “What are we having?” he asked his boyfriend. Chuck looked up and smiled. “Just another of my concoctions. We’re having a jambalaya inspired frittata.”

Dylan threw the damp towel into the corner. “How do you come up with these things? You’ve got something special going on in that head of yours.” Dylan embraced Chuck and kissed him quickly.

“There’s always something bouncing around in this old noggin,” Chuck grinned and held Dylan tightly. Gawd he loved this man who so appreciated him. All his feelings of inadequacy and trepidation had disappeared. He felt warm, loved, and wholly and completely happy in his arms.

“How long ‘til breakfast is ready?” Dylan asked casually. He’d gotten an idea. It was something he couldn’t get out of his head.

“I think about half an hour or so,” Chuck said. “Why?”

“I have a quick errand to run. Get that in the oven and I’ll be back in a flash.”

Chuck wondered what had gotten into Dylan. He smirked at how sexy he felt. He needed a shower too.

“Don’t be long,” Chuck said and lifted the lid. Another four minutes and the potatoes would be ready for the egg mixture. Then into the oven and he could get cleaned up.

It was close to thirty minutes later that Dylan returned. The Cajun frittata had rested just the right amount of time.

“Where did you go?” Chuck asked slipping on a clean t-shirt. Dylan liked watching Chuck dress. His lithe torso would stretch and show some delectable flesh. Dylan licked his lips, because of Chuck as much as the heavenly smelling kitchen.

“This is fantastic,” Dylan said around bites. “I would have looked in this fridge for an hour and told you we had to go out to eat.”

“So you like it?”

“I love it but not as much as I love you,” Dylan said. He thought for a moment. “Why aren’t you cooking in a restaurant? Lynora would hire you in a minute.”

“I’m not that good. I worked at a couple of greasy spoons but I’m no chef,” Chuck said. He smiled at the compliment though. “I just wish I had the money to learn how to be a real chef. But, I don’t have any money and neither does my family. I’ll just cook for you, okay? That’s enough for me.”

“I’ll eat your food, but if it’s your passion, you should do it,” Dylan said.

Chuck didn’t respond. It was a pointless discussion. He didn’t have the skills and no money to get them. He loved cooking but it wasn’t going to be his future.

“Oh, about my errand,” Dylan said taking the last bite and wiping his mouth. “I don’t think we’re ready to live together but I don’t want us to be apart any more than we have to be.” He grabbed something out of his pocket and took Chuck’s hand. Dylan placed something cold and metal into his palm. Chuck looked at it.

“You gave me your key?” Chuck said happily surprised.

“Yeah. I know you want to spend time with your sister and Brandon. But, there’s no reason when I finish a closing shift I can’t come home to sleep with the man I love. You don’t have to come over every night though I wouldn’t mind,” Dylan said. His voice was a little hoarse and tight. Chuck felt the sting of tears in his eyes. Dylan missed him. It seems Dylan missed Chuck as much as Chuck missed him. Chuck was choked up with emotion and couldn’t speak. When he finally got himself under control he turned and took Dylan’s hand in his.

“I will be very careful with your trust.”

“I know you will. I know this is also kind of fast but it feels right. I love being with you, even if it’s just sleeping,” Dylan said his eyes riveted to Chuck’s. “I work tonight but I’d love to come home to you.”

Chuck took out his keys and put the new one on the ring. He never thought this would happen. Last night he was worried Dylan didn’t like him as much as he liked Dylan. Today, Dylan hands over the key to his apartment. All Chuck had to give him was his heart. He was overwhelmed.

“Okay lover boy. Time to clean up. I have to work tonight and we’re spending the rest of the morning and afternoon having some fun. You up for a movie?” Dylan asked.

Chuck nodded not trusting his voice quite yet. He had to do something special for Dylan. He thought he knew how he could do that.

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

Dylan finished up at Sweet Nora’s and was on the road by 11:30 pm. He thought about the incredible sex that morning. He wondered if it was his libido that inspired giving Chuck a key. No. That wasn’t it. He hadn’t slept well and kept waking up, looking for Chuck. The whole time at the Rail, he’d been looking at the door and waiting for Chuck to appear. He knew it was late when he’d called so Chuck was probably sleeping. Still, he’d been disappointed. Watching Isaac and Raleigh cuddle and kiss made him so aware of how he missed his boyfriend. Then, sleeping had been impossible. He was just so lonely without him. He hoped Chuck used his new key. He couldn’t wait to give Chuck his other little surprise.

“Hi Honey, I’m home,” Dylan called out hopefully. He looked around and his heart dropped. Where was Chuck?

“Just a minute,” he heard after a stone cold minute. “I’ve got a surprise for you,” Chuck’s voice called from around the corner.

“What’s going on?” Dylan said as Chuck came around the corner. He was holding something small, orange and furry, like a stuffed animal. “What the…” The stuffed animal made a sound, a tiny little squeaky meow.

“I bought you a present. You’ve said you wanted a cat and so I bought you a kitten,” Chuck said happily stroking the kitten with his finger. He looked up and his jaw dropped. In Dylan’s arms was a tiny little gray bit of tuff, also mewling softly. The two guys looked at each other and started laughing.

“What did you do?” Dylan said still chuckling.

“You told me you wanted a cat but you didn’t want the hassle. I figured since you gave me a key, I could take care of it when you were at work. I’ve always wanted a cat but with Brandon’s allergies I can’t have one at the apartment.”

Dylan listened, amused. “I knew you wanted a cat so tonight one of the cooks said his cat had a litter. They offered me a kitten and since I knew you couldn’t have a cat at your apartment. I thought we could both have this cat. It would be our cat. You know, something we’d share.”

Chuck wasn’t just touched. He was bowled over. “I didn’t know… I’m sorry,” he stuttered.

“You couldn’t know,” Dylan said smiling. “I guess we have two cats now. They can both live here.”

“I guess so. I was just trying to do something special for you,” Chuck said. He thought it was kind of funny. It was like the ‘Gift of the Magi’ though neither of them had sacrificed anything. They’d just done a sweet surprise for the other that ended up being the same thing. He looked over at Dylan and the little squirming ball of fur.

“Can I meet my new kitty?” Chuck asked.

“Sure, if I can meet my new roommate,” Dylan said grinning. They traded kittens. Chuck with the gray kitten and Dylan with the orange darling. Both kittens were very needy. They both wanted attention. They were both hungry. Each kitten looked up and endeared themselves to the two guys. After falling in love with the cute little creatures with tiny noses and eyes that seemed too big, Chuck and Dylan got on the floor and put the kittens on the carpet. The two little kitties saw one another and awkwardly walked toward each other. After a good sniff, they mewled to one another and touched noses. Chuck and Dylan shared a chuckle. They both watched those two babies interact. In a few moments, they were lying next to one another and softly purring as they fell asleep. It had been a long day for the two kittens. The two guys watched them and occasionally glanced at one another. It had been a long day but a good one.

Dylan slept dreamlessly in Chuck’s arms. Chuck never woke the entire night as he cuddled Dylan.

It was the rest they’d both been waiting for.