Porcupines - 3. Chapter 3 - The Willing

Chapter 3 – The Willing

The Guard

Getting him ready for bed, I noticed how fragile he looked. His face wasn’t bleeding any more but I could see the red marks which would turn horrible colors come tomorrow. The gash on his forehead was a single red line and his face was so pale. I placed the sheet and comforter over him and he smiled at me.

I almost cried out at that smile. His smile was so golden, so warm. It made my heart leap. I just stood there like a moron and watching him get comfortable and his smile. Even after being mugged and scared and hurt. He had the warmest, most comforting smile as he fell asleep. I couldn’t move. I just stood there staring.

‘What if he doesn’t wake up,’ the thought came into my head. I didn’t know if he had a concussion. He wouldn’t go to the hospital. I didn’t know what to look for in a concussion, but I knew it was dangerous. I better just watch him for a while.

I stood there for a while and watched him sleep. He was breathing okay. He seemed okay. He was fine. I should head back to the mall. Then, I saw his smile fade and he was crying again. He clutched the pillow like he was in shock. I was petrified. What do I do? I can’t just stand here looking at him like this. He was terrified.

I wanted him to smile again. I’d do anything to get him to smile again. What should I do? He was trembling, shaking really. Instinct took over, and I did the only thing I knew would help. I did it without thinking.

I went around the other side of the bed and crawled in. I spooned him and he cuddled back at me pressing back against me. I put my arm around him and he was like a radiator. Waves of heat came off him and I could feel his body relax. I hugged him closely. He actually cooed, like a dove. His shaking body stilled as I held him. It was heaven.

I would just lay here making him feel safe for a few minutes and then back to work. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I really didn’t.

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

Dylan

When I first woke up, I couldn’t open my right eye. My face felt sore and my head throbbed. There was nice warmth on my back. I felt safe, but something was poking me, down there. I tried to move but an arm kept me down. I tried to roll but the arm held me tight. I could feel breath on my neck. What the…

“What the…” I said trying to sit up. There was someone next to me, holding me, holding me down.

“Get the fuck off me,” I cried and began to sit up. The arm moved and the body rolled away. “Who the hell are you?” I said and I heard him woke with a start.

“What time is it?” he said to me. It was the mall cop fully dressed lying next to me on my bed. My face hurt and the events of a few hours ago started coming back to me. I’d been mugged. The mall cop drove me home. Now he was sitting up next to me in bed. He’d been perving on me, his hardon pressed against my ass. First I’d been mugged and now some stupid rent-a-cop was gonna rape me!!!

“What are you doing?” I asked, demanded of him, incredulous.

“I just, I’m sorry, I was afraid,” he mumbled and then rolled off the bed onto his feet. “I better go,” he said. “I thought you might have a concussion.”

“So you thought you’d stick your dick up my ass and that would help?” I yelled at him. He fumbled around the room and then dashed out. A few moments later, I heard the front door open and then shut. I was befuddled. My head throbbed, my face felt like it had been pummeled by a meat tenderizer, and some random guy had crawled into bed with me. I got out of bed and unsteadily lurched into the living room. A washcloth with blood on it lay next to the couch. A bag of peas lay next to that, limp and in a puddle of water.

More of it came back to me. He had helped me. He wasn’t a villain. I’d just screamed at someone who’d tried to be kind. I am such an asshole. My stomach felt like it was trying to escape. I barely made it to the bathroom in time.

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

Dylan went in early to work. He was bound and determined to apologize to the mall cop. Hell, he didn’t even know the guy’s name that’d helped him out. Dylan was ashamed at his behavior. He’d accused him of rape and all he’d done was keep an eye on him. He didn’t see the guard around and figured he’d see him at some point. He probably worked the night shift. Dylan would just wait until then to thank him.

“What happened to you?” Lynora squawked. She raced over to her employee and looked closely at his black eye. “What did you do last night? I told you not to troll those seedy bars looking for tricks. Dammit Dylan. You are gonna be the death of me.”

“Lynora, I worked until close last night. I wasn’t out at the bars or any place else. I got mugged last night right outside the mall doors.”

“I’m calling security. Krill needs to know about this. You aren’t shitting me are you?” she asked him up with a raised eyebrow.

“No. I got mugged and a mall cop helped me get home.”

“He didn’t stop the mugging? Just helped you home? Should’ve called the police,” she said grimly.

“I didn’t see the guy. I told him not to call. He must’ve chased the guy off.”

“Well you look like crap on a cracker,” she said looking at the waiter again. “Do you need to go to the doctor?” She knew Dylan didn’t have insurance. She was trying to be helpful.

“I’ll be fine. I just want to thank the mall cop but he isn’t here.”

“Jeez, Dylan,” Kenny said coming up to us. “What the hell happened to you?”

“I got rolled leaving the mall last night. I’m fine. Just a black eye and an empty wallet.”

“Did you get a good look at the fucker,” Kenny said. “I’ll rip the asshole’s arms off.”

“No, all I saw were shadows and of course fists. The mall cop must’ve chased him off. It’s kind of a blur now,” Dylan said shaking his head. It did seem like a dream now, or more accurately, a nightmare.

Lynora was on the phone with someone when her voice rang out over the restaurant. “You did what? You fired the guy? What the hell. I know he's was supposed to call the cops. Yeah, whatever, standard procedure, blah, blah, blah. He helped get my employee home after getting beat up and you fired him?” She was being quite loud. Dylan felt even more embarrassed.

“Well yeah you better make this right. He what? Another mugging? Well that’s hardly his fault. Yeah? really.” Lynora was calming down. “Huh. Well I don’t care. Dylan’s got himself a real shiner and a couple of cuts. You don’t punish someone for being a Good Samaritan? Yeah, well make it right or I’ll raise holy hell.” Lynora slammed the phone down, it rang throughout the store.

“Dylan, get the hell over here.”

Dylan scurried over wondering what he’d done now. “What happened at your apartment last night?” she asked when he got close to her.

“I told you. The mall cop took me home. He helped me inside, cleaned up my cuts, put a bag of frozen peas on my eye and put me to bed. Why?”

“Put you to bed?” she asked squinting at him. “What does that mean?”

“He helped me into bed and watched me for a little while because he was afraid I had a concussion,” he skipped the part where he had spooned him and his woody had rubbed against his butt. He figured that would only give Lynora the wrong idea.

“Krill said this mall cop, Chuck is his name, was gone three fricking hours. Another person got mugged and Krill got called in the middle of the night. He fired him.”

“I don’t know where he went when he left my apartment but I don’t think he was there that long,” Dylan lied.

“Well, they shit-canned his ass. I told Krill he needed to give the guy another chance. You didn’t, like, do anything with him did you?”

“No,” Dylan said vehemently. “I fell asleep and he watched me for a while. I woke up and he’d left. We didn’t DO anything. I didn’t SEDUCE the mall cop after I’d been mugged for heaven’s sake. They really fired him?”

“Yeah, but Krill is gonna make it right. I told him that is bullshit.” Lynora really did have a heart of gold when it came down to it. “But, three hours…That’s kinda creepy.”

Dylan shrugged his shoulders and she just looked at him. “You are not waiting tables looking like the loser in a prize fight. Go home and rest. You need a couple of days off.”

“I can’t afford to take that much time off,” the waiter whined. He knew she was right though. He felt like a used punching bag and looked like road kill. “How will I pay my rent?”

“I’ll cover you,” she said. “Just go home and put some more frozen peas on your face or something.”

“But, I wanted to thank him. Do you think Krill would give me his address?”

“I don’t know about that, but he might give you his phone number. Go down to the office and ask. I’ll call Krill and butter him up first,” she picked up the phone again. She shook her head in dismay.

Dylan rushed down to the mall security office.

A few minutes later Dylan had entered Chuck the Mall Cop’s number in his phone. When he got outside he called. A woman answered.

“Could I speak to Chuck please,” Dylan asked. ‘Probably his wife or something. But then, why was he snuggled up to me on my bed. Weird. But, intriguing,’ Dylan mused.

“He’s sleeping off a bender. Wanna leave a message,” the woman said curtly. Dylan left his name and number. “What is this about?” she asked.

“I was mugged last night and he helped me get home. I just wanted to thank him.”

“So you’re the one that got him fired. You’re the reason he got so drunk I had to put a bucket next to his bed.” Dylan apologized and assured her he didn’t mean for that to happen. She didn’t seem to believe him and said an abrupt ‘goodbye.’

Dylan went home and lay down on the couch. Before long, he was fast asleep and missed the phone ringing. When he woke up, he heard this message:

“Well, I guess your name is Dylan. Thanks for getting my job back for me. Hope you’re okay. Um, I really, I didn’t. You said I was trying to take advantage of you but, I, well I’m not that way. I wasn’t trying to do anything to you. I’m sorry if you thought that. Okay. Well, I guess I’ll see you at the mall sometime.” Click.

‘Oh Gawd,’ Dylan thought to himself. ‘I did accuse the guy of attempted rape. Dammit. First I call him a rapist and then he gets fired. No wonder he drank himself senseless. Best leave well enough alone Dylan. Just leave it alone.’

So, of course, Dylan called him back. The woman answered the phone again but this time she screamed out, “Chuuuuuck. Phone for you. Again.” Dylan pensively waited.

“Hullo,” a raspy voice said.

“Chuck? This is Dylan.”

“Oh, hi. What do you want?”

“Um,” Dylan was a bit tongue-tied. “I just wanted to apologize for saying that about you that you were trying to uh, do me. I was kind of scared and confused last night.”

The line was silent for a few moments. “That’s okay. But, I really wasn’t trying to… I mean, I’m not that kind of guy.” Chuck said sounding still a little groggy.

“Well, I just wanted to thank you for your help. I’m sorry you got fired and I’m sorry I said what I said.”

“S’okay. They hired me back. Was there anything else?”

“No, I just wanted to clear the air.”

“It’s clear. Goodbye.” Click. And this click had a kind of formality to it. He was done with Dylan. The waiter couldn’t blame the guard. He also felt a chill.

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

Chuck

The sound of his voice got to me. I hurt so badly from that bottle of vodka I couldn’t think straight and then he spoke to me. It was like aspirin or better, clearing my head and making me feel warm.

That voice. That smile. What was getting into me? This snobby waiter, who wouldn’t look at me in a bar, was making me crazy. He woke up last night accusing me of trying to rape him but wasn’t that what I was dreaming about. Not rape, but other things, sexual things. I remembered my dreams as I held him. In my dreams everything I did made him smile. I liked making him smile by licking his skin, caressing his stomach, and going even lower. Lower on his body, but even lower in my depravity. I was having these feelings about him and then when he accuses me of rape. I felt like I’d done so, in my dreams at least.

Oh Gawd. Then he calls me and thanks me for having those dreams. No, he thanked me for helping him. He thinks I wasn’t having my way with him but I was. I was touching him in private places, feeling his hairy body next to me, wanting more. I was thinking about what I’d do to him, to make him smile and coo again. His center pulled me into him. I could feel his heat wash over me and drag me into the thrills I was feeling. But, it was just a dream. Then, his voice. Now all I can think about is how hot he was and soft/hard like a man is. I had such thoughts that if he could read my mind, he’d have done more than yell at me.

Chuck shook his head. He had to work in a couple of hours. He had to get a few more minutes of sleep to take care of this hangover. He wanted to dream of Dylan again. He did. It got even filthier.

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

Dylan

I decided since I had a couple of days off, I’d go to a movie. My brother was busy at work so I went alone. I sat in the dark movie theater and watched an improbable love story. I ended up teary eyed at the end even though it was unbelievable. I wanted to have a torrid love affair like that one. I wanted some guy to battle the elements just to get to me. Why didn’t anyone feel like that about me, I pondered selfishly? Oh well. I’ll just get a coffee and forget about all this crap.

I grabbed a cappuccino and sat at a table. I watched as couples walked by. I saw families. There were single people rushing around with bags of clothes and books and things. It was the rush of life. Meanwhile, I casually sipped my coffee and then I saw him.

He was walking by dressed in his white shirt and gold badge and looking very official. He was a ways away from me but I had to make sure this was right. I got up and hurried over towards him. “Chuck,” I called to him. “Wait up!”

He turned and looked at me and got a sudden and frantic look on his face. He turned and walked faster away from me. What had I done that made him so scared of me? I felt terrible and I should have just returned to my coffee.

So of course, I raced after him. I caught up with him just past the Verizon kiosk. I had my hand on his upper arm.

“Hold up Chuck. I just wanted to thank you in person for helping me.”

He looked at my hand like it was poisonous or something. “Just doing my job. No worries,” he said pulling away from me. I looked curiously at him.

“Are you still mad about what I said? I am really, really sorry. I was scared and surprised. You were just being a good guy. I feel bad for what I said.”

He looked calmer now and even smiled a little. “I guess it was kind of weird of me to lie down next to you. I really wasn’t trying anything. I’m not like that. I was just trying to make you feel better.”

I smiled big at him. “I know. It was very sweet of you. I realized this morning it was just a nice gesture. I hope your wife isn’t too mad at me.”

Chuck positively grinned back at me. He looked very happy for a second and then perplexed. “Wife? I’m not married.”

I laughed. “Who answered your phone?”

“My sister!” he laughed and I laughed with him. He was almost giddy at this point. His icy blue eyes were full of life and mirth. I found myself giggling in spite of myself. “She’ll love hearing that one.”

I couldn’t resist. “When are you finished for the day? I’d love to buy you a coffee or something, just to thank you.”

Chuck didn’t respond right away, like he was weighing things in his head. “I’m not sure…” he said.

“Come on, just a coffee or a drink if you’d like. It’s not like I’m asking you out on a date. I mean you’re straight and all…” I stopped talking. He got an odd look on his face. His eyes had been laughing and now became cold again.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t want the redneck loser to get the wrong idea that it might be a DATE or something,” he said bitterly. He started to walk away.

“Wait. That came out wrong. Are you, I mean, you are straight right?” I said touching his arm again.

“No. I’m not straight. I’m gay okay. And I know you wouldn’t want me to get the wrong impression. I’m just a piece of trailer trash that isn’t good enough for the likes of you. Coffee with me is probably not the best idea. I might try to RAPE you again.”

I stepped forward and got closer to him. I could feel his breath on my cheek. He was trembling he was so angry. I whispered, “You can’t rape the willing.”

He blinked. He looked at me. He sighed and started to laugh again. I laughed too. We looked like a couple of rabid hyenas standing in the middle of the mall howling. People stared at us. Strangely enough, neither of us seemed to care.