Porcupines - 4. Chapter 4 - Country Mouse, City Mouse

Chapter 4 - Country Mouse, City Mouse

Chuck insisted on going home and changing after his shift. He didn’t want to have a drink in his mall cop uniform. Dylan could understand that. Chuck asked if he wanted to go to Sweet Nora’s. Dylan told him absolutely not. At first the guard had looked a little hurt. The waiter then said he wasn’t going to have their first date at that gossipy old lady’s place. She’d have them married with a white picket fence and two and a half adopted kids by the time they placed their order. Then he seemed to understand. Dylan wasn’t ashamed of him. Dylan was worried about THEM.

They met at the Rail Station.

Dylan got there first and was nursing his usual Lite beer. Chuck walked in and Dylan mouth dropped open, literally. He had on loose slacks, a nice Polo shirt, and loafers. Dylan looked down at his grubby jeans and a t-shirt. Chuck was dressed for a date. Dylan was dressed for a casual drink. He was somewhat embarrassed.

Chuck approached Dylan’s table and sat down. The waiter came over and Chuck ordered a tonic with lime, no gin. “You’re not drinking?” Dylan asked, confused.

“I got pretty wasted early this morning after I got fired. I figured I’d better let the liver clear me out a little.”

“Someone else got mugged?” Dylan asked.

“Yeah. I got back and the police were there. They’d called my boss since I wasn’t around. He was so pissed at me, he told me to take a hike,” Chuck explained. “I took it pretty hard I guess.”

“What a terrible night for both of us,” Dylan said taking a sip of his beer.

“One good thing came out of it,” he said grinning. “I finally got to meet you.”

Dylan was once again confused. What did he mean, Finally Meet You? Was this a ‘Fatal Attraction’ kind of meeting? Would he go home and find a rabbit boiling in a pot?

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand. Have you been watching me?”

He smiled. “I didn’t say that right. I go into Sweet Nora’s for a drink every once in a while and I’ve seen you there. Then, I saw you a couple of nights ago here. I just wanted to meet you. You’re really cute.”

Dylan could feel the blush bloom on his face. He was really quite charming in a way. Not Dylan’s type really, but a nice looking guy, when he smiled. He was too thin and when he wasn’t smiling his face was all pinched looking. His skin was sallow and he had deep dark circles under his eyes. Chuck looked the quintessential redneck right down to the pasty skin and scruff. But Dylan could see such kindness and care in those icy blues, it made him begin to question his criteria for dating.

“Well,” the waiter said sitting up a little more erect, “since you have the advantage of watching me first, I get to ask the first question about you.”

He smiled and Dylan liked his smile. It suited his face better. The waiter could only smile back in response.

“Shoot, ask away.”

“Okay, where are you from?

“I’m from Toad Holler down yonder. My daddy cooks up meth and my momma is his sister. We lived in a trailer in the woods and every now and again, it would slip off the cinder blocks and we’d have to straighten back up with the old John Deere tractor.” Dylan looked up and saw Chuck was smiling. At least his question hadn’t gotten his defenses up too badly.

“Come on, really,” Dylan said skeptically.

“Actually, that isn’t too far from the truth. I grew up near Worthington in a small town which might as well be called Toad Holler. My father worked at the Campbell soup plant so he did cook. And, we did live in a trailer though it had a foundation and never slipped off it.”

“And now you live with your sister who I thought was your wife,” Dylan ventured to continue the joke. He laughed at that and took a sip of his tonic.

“How about you?” he said. “Where did you grow up?”

“I grew up in the Cities, Edina to be exact. My dad is an investment banker. My mom is a bored housewife who had an affair and ended up with me, my brother, the house, and a nice alimony check every month.” Dylan paused. “Everyone has a fucked up life. Even people who grew up in the rich Edina-like suburbs have issues.”

“I guess so,” Chuck said stirring his drink. “I’m sorry if I got so defensive. I just never would have thought such a handsome, smart guy like you would be interested in a loser like me.”

“Who’s a loser?” Dylan said leaning in toward him. “I wait tables and live in a shitty one bedroom apartment. I have a degree in something no one would ever hire me to do. And to top it all off, I’m so lonely I cry myself to sleep at night.” Dylan didn’t know where that came from. It just burst out of him and he looked down at his peeling beer label. ‘Gawd, I’m pathetic sometimes,’ he thought.

“Do you really cry yourself to sleep at night?” Chuck asked touching his hand.

“Sometimes. Not every night.”

“You know what I think,” Chuck said softly.

“What?” Dylan pouted and took another swig.

“I think you’re very handsome, sweet, considerate man, and you have the best smile I’ve ever seen. When you smile, it lights up the whole room.”

Dylan looked up to see if he was kidding him with this drivel. But Chuck was smiling broadly, naturally. He was looking at him with the nicest, most sincere look he thought he’d ever seen. Chuck transcended his pinched face and scruffiness in that moment. Dylan saw him as a lover would.

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” Dylan then quipped, “you must still be drunk from last night.” The redhead couldn’t help but beam giddily at him.

He laughed and took Dylan’s hand in his. He looked at each finger one by one. He licked his lips, cleared his throat and sat back, dropping the hand. “Sorry about getting so grabby. You do that to me.”

‘I did that to him?’ Dylan was moved. He made another person feel like spontaneously grabbing him? Dylan thought to himself, ‘I made him involuntarily hold my hand? I haven’t had that happen in a long time, since Ron. Oh no. Don’t think of Ron. That will just ruin everything.’

“If this is a date, we need to do something date-like,” Dylan said abruptly to Chuck.

“Is this really a date-date?” Chuck asked cautiously. “I was just kidding you about that.”

“This is a real, live, man-on-man date,” Dylan said not really believing it but seeing the effect he had on Chuck made it worthwhile.

“Do I get a real, live, man-on-man kiss from you?” he asked.

“Maybe, if you’re good and treat me like the precious gem I am, I will grant you an end-of-the-date kiss,” Dylan smirked. “Maybe. And just one.”

“Then I’ll have to make this the best date ever just so I can get my one wish, a kiss,” he said sheepishly and squirming a little. “How about a movie?”

“Okay,” Dylan said … but he thought, ‘Why am I doing this? He’s not my type. Why am I letting Chuck get inside my head? I’m egging him on and that really isn’t fair,’ Dylan shook his head to clear his thoughts. ‘What is going on with me tonight?’ the waiter mused to himself.

To Chuck he said, “Let’s go to a movie.”

They went to a late night show, a romantic comedy, not unlike the earlier picture Dylan had seen. He enjoyed hearing Chuck laugh throughout the whole thing. It wasn’t that funny but his “date” seemed to enjoy it. He even held Dylan’s hand at the end. The waiter felt silly, fuzzy-headed, and happy about it. Dylan thought he was leading him on which wasn’t right. After they left the movie, Chuck drove them to Dylan’s apartment. It was almost midnight. Dylan figured he’d shake his hand and they’d part ways. It was best to be kind but firm.

He walked Dylan to the front of the apartment building. They talked for a minute. He leaned in. Dylan closed his eyes. Chuck kissed him. Dylan kissed him back. Chuck’s tongue slipped into his mouth. Dylan’s tongue went into his. They passionately made out for a few moments when they both heard some voices behind them coming up the walk. It was a neighbor couple and they were both grinning and giggling. Dylan was embarrassed, flushed. He looked down. Chuck had an erection. Dylan noticed he had an erection too. This was going much too fast.

“We better get inside,” Dylan whispered to him.

“I’d like that,” he said and held open the door for the neighbors as well.

“You two look like you’ve been out jogging tonight,” the neighbor guy said smirking. “Better cool off a little before you get over heated.”

“Sorry,” Chuck muttered and looked down. Dylan felt bad for him. He grabbed his date’s hand and said, “Come on Chuck. I need you to help move some furniture for me.”

“Okay,” he squeaked back.

The neighbor woman grabbed her boyfriend’s arm. “Come on Jerry. I’ve got some furniture for you to move also.” All four of them laughed.

Chuck came up to the apartment and Dylan knew this was a mistake. He’d led him on too far now. He’d expect sex and Dylan just didn’t feel that way about him. He just wasn’t the kind of guy he wanted. He was too, well, too ordinary. Dylan wanted lights and bells and whistles. Chuck just made him feel really good and warm and safe. It just wouldn’t work. There were no fireworks between them. Dylan turned to the other man. He’d tell him he was tired and needed to get some sleep. Dylan’s face was still so tender and sore. That was the perfect excuse.

“Would you like a nightcap?” is what Dylan said instead.

“Sure,” he replied. “One won’t hurt.”

Dylan made them a pair of gin and tonics with lime wedges. He put on some music, ballads on his iPod and sat next to Chuck on the couch. Chuck was sweating again. Dylan placed his hand on Chuck’s leg. “Wanna try kissing me again?”

“I thought I had my one special date-night, man-on-man kiss already,” he said turning toward the red-haired man.

“That one didn’t count. It got interrupted.”

They began kissing again. Chuck was gentle with the other man’s banged up face. Dylan hardly felt anything except tenderness, the good kind. He pulled up the guard’s shirt and ran his hand along Chuck’s hard, ridged stomach. There was barely a wisp of hair, just the treasure trail leading down to, well you know. Dylan felt himself getting hard again. Chuck had a hand under his t-shirt, feeling his fur, making it stand on end. Dylan was breathing heavily, responding to his touch. It was sensual, light, and provocative. He adjusted himself in his pants. Dylan climbed on his lap like a topless dancer, or a brazen hussy. Somehow, Dylan’s shirt came off and Chuck was rubbing and licking his nipples. Dylan arched his back and pressed against his tongue. Chuck nipped at his left nipple. Dylan felt so hot and slutty.

Both men were lost in the emotions for a few moments until Dylan pulled off his date’s shirt. He was practically hairless except some wisps between his pecs. Dylan licked those hairs feverishly.

“Oh Gawd,” Chuck said between kisses. “You are an amazing kisser.” That broke the reverie for the moment. Dylan sat back, looked at the other man’s glowing, flushed face. He was looking right into his icy blues and Dylan shivered.

Dylan mused, ‘I need to climb off him. This is ridiculous. I can’t treat him like some cheap trick I picked up in a seedy bar. This guy helped me. He was a good person who has a tender heart. I’m about to use him like a sex toy. I needed to get some perspective. I need to tell him to go home and I’ll call him tomorrow. Then, I’ll see how I really felt about him. He was just so happy though. What have I gotten myself into?’

“Wanna move this to the bedroom?” Dylan heard himself ask. Chuck just nodded his head. In his head, Dylan thought, ‘I am such a horrible person. Now he thinks we are going to have sex. What is wrong with me?’

Dylan stood up and took his date’s hand. He led him to his bedroom. Dylan flung off the comforter and jumped in. The waiter’s shirt was long gone, as was Chuck’s, but both men still had their pants on. The guard climbed in next to Dylan and traced the bruises on his face with his finger.

“Does that hurt bad?” he asked, looking very concerned.

“Not when you’re kissing me it doesn’t.”

“I better not stop then,” and Chuck leaned over and the two men’s mouths met. Their fronts pressed together. Dylan’s hairy chest rubbed against Chuck’s smooth one. It felt electric. The guard’s hand ran down Dylan’s back pulling him more closely. Their arms embraced each other and both sighed. Dylan kissed his neck and felt the other man tremble. They kissed more deeply as Chuck’s hands explored. Their frottage was full on.

‘Maybe he could just sleep with me,’ Dylan surmised. ‘It would be nice to have someone hold me tonight. Just spoon and cuddle a little. We’ll just keep our pants on and it would be nice and chaste, or at least as chaste as it would get considering…’

“Take off your pants,” Dylan quietly ordered him instead. “I want to see you naked.”

“Are you sure?” Chuck asked while unbuckling his belt and pushing them off his legs.

“I’ve never been surer of something in my life,” Dylan said. In his own mind, Dylan argued, ‘We could just sleep naked. Just hold each other. We would then feel the warmth of our skin and the frisson that it creates.’

They lost their pants.

“Does this feel good,” Dylan asked, doing his own explorations.

Dylan’s brain remarked, ‘Gawd, the heat they were generating. It was like Chuck was on fire and I’m handling him without oven mitts. I’m making Chuck so excited. I’m making him feel this. It had been so long since he’d had such a connection. Usually, it was wham, bam, see ya later dude. This was something different. This was intimacy at its best.’

‘We can fall asleep and just hold each other. Nothing too involved. No need to do anything more. This is a first date. Have some self-respect.’ Dylan argued to himself.

The two men engaged each other, both sensing and expressing what needs they had to the other. Dylan thought it was odd how they seemed to know each other so well. Chuck thought he’d never had such a responsive partner in bed. What had been an eager frenzy became more sensual and giving. While they didn’t go ‘all the way,’ it was the kind of foreplay that satisfied. At the end, they both exploded in mutual satisfaction within moments of each other. There was no need for talk. It was an unspoken dance of passion.

They both gasped and clung to one another. They fell asleep at once, still sticky, still sweaty, and holding each other. Dylan’s dreams were so sweet that night and he didn’t cry at all. He felt so warm and comfortable in the other man’s arms. Too bad Chuck wasn’t his type.

Chuck only felt he’d found a home in someone’s arms.

As the morning light began to filter through the curtains, Chuck awoke. Dylan was still fast asleep and still holding him, though not as tightly as before. He looked around the room. He’d been here just last night but hadn’t seen all of this.

One wall of Dylan’s bedroom was covered with shelves. Filled with books, he surveyed the titles. There were some novels but mostly it was textbooks. Almost all of them were history books but there were other kinds as well. A desk sat in a corner and a computer and stacks of paper were piled up next to it.

It was a bit messy. Chuck was by nature a very neat person. Dylan was obviously not. He felt an itch to bring order to the chaos. Clothes lay scattered about the room. There were pictures sitting next to the wall waiting to be hung up. Chuck willed himself to ignore the mess. Instead he focused on the man next to him.

Dylan had an arm lying possessively over his stomach. Chuck could feel the delicious warmth of him on his side. He looked at his bed companion and the man was still smiling in his sleep. That made him smile reflexively. What a beautiful guy. Why would he have invited him here? Chuck held no illusions about himself. He wasn’t in the same league yet here he was.

In his bed. In Dylan’s bed being held so closely, even in the early morning hours.

‘Don’t overthink it,’ Chuck’s mind cautioned. ‘Maybe he likes you.’

Chuck fell back asleep, as content as he’d ever felt.

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

Dylan stretched and moved his arm. The lovely feel of another body next to his eased his mind. He opened his eyes and saw Chuck’s sleeping face. It was right in front of him. It wasn’t the face of an angel, but it was a very happy face. Chuck moved and mewled throwing his arm over Dylan. ‘What have I done?’ Dylan thought. ‘Did I really have this guy stay over?’

He looked more closely at Chuck’s face. It looked so relaxed and open. He was struck by the innocence it contained. Dylan needed to go to the bathroom but he couldn’t disturb the look on that face. It was so supremely content. He thought about what this meant to him and it was odd.

He liked how this felt.

Chuck opened an eye and looked back. Dylan felt himself smile, because that’s what Chuck did.

“Morning,” he whispered.

“Good morning to you,” Chuck whispered back and yawned tugging him closer.

“Did you sleep well?” Dylan asked. What an odd question, but so ordinary. He really did want to know how the other man felt. He felt so refreshed which wasn’t usual for him. Dylan hoped Chuck felt the same. But why?

“I did sleep well. How about you?”

“Yeah,” Dylan answered. “I feel really good this morning.” He felt a surge of energy from his toes to his scalp. He felt so alive and good about it.

“Good,” Chuck said. “I had a great time last night.”

“So did I,” Dylan responded quickly. He didn’t want this feeling of happiness to go away. It was usually so fleeting, this appreciation of aliveness. Dylan didn’t want to move and chase this feeling away.

“Can we do this again?” Chuck asked shyly. He watched Dylan closely to see what the reaction would be.

“Oh yeah,” Dylan heard himself say. He didn’t want THIS to end. He didn’t want this man to disappear as so many had before. Those icy blue eyes were surveying him and seemed to approve.

“Good, me too. I better get going though,” Chuck said, haltingly.

“Sure. I better get up too,” Dylan said but he kissed the other man. Chuck kissed him back. Neither of them moved away and continued the kisses. It was nice.

Finally, they both got up. They didn’t know how to say goodbye or part.

But they did.