Cards on the Table - 25. Chapter 25 The Jokers Are In Play

Cards on the Table

Chapter 25

After a celebratory, laughing-and-crying group hug, the Aceto family settled down to talk about what kind of house the boys were looking for, and just as importantly, in what area. With Colleen and Big Mike’s input, Michael and Kendall arrived at the same conclusion. Neither would mind a reasonable commute of thirty minutes or so, which opened up more possibilities. They both had the right kind of vehicle for safe winter travel, and actually enjoyed driving. The excitement that had been simmering over a house purchase, began to build after talking it out as a family. Michael’s parent’s generous contribution had a huge impact on what they could aim for in their search for the right house. With the savings each had accrued, which were remarkably close in amount, they had about 150,000 dollars as a down payment, with an additional 8,000 dollars from Colleen and Big Mike, for any changes they might want to make. Michael’s dad suggested they consider holding back some of their savings, and putting less down in case something unforeseeable arose, or major work needed to be done. It made sense to both men.

With winter darkness quickly closing in on the house on the little hill, Kendall and Michael decided it was time to head home. Colleen was adamant they would take the rest of the meatloaf and roasted potatoes home with them, and she heard no objections after the first feeble one from Kendall. They both knew he was just being polite, and he smiled hugely when she handed him the makings of another scrumptious meal.

“They’re pretty amazing, aren’t they?” Michael’s words echoed the pride he felt in his parents.

“They sure are. You hit the jackpot with those two. I’ve never met anyone else like them.”

“Yeah, I did. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been angry with them. That’s probably pretty weird for someone to say about their parents, huh?” Michael was watching Kendall watch the road as they drove home through a lightly falling snow.

“I wouldn’t call it weird, but it sure as hell can’t be typical. I think I was pissed off at my parents more often than not,” Kendall confessed with a weak half-smile.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories for you.”

“You didn’t, and you don’t have to pussy-foot around me. Trust me, they’re always there, but they are receding. They don’t have as much weight as they used to. My parents need me to let go of all that shit... I need it too, and because of you, I’m managing to get there. But there’s no sense pretending they were the parents yours have always been. We both hit the jackpot with Mom and Pop.” He took his eyes off the road for a second to meet Michael’s eyes, and show him a genuine smile this time.

“I hit the jackpot with you too, Babe.” Michael’s voice cracked a bit when he said the words.

“Me too, big guy.” The eyebrow waggle that followed made Michael laugh, and served to lighten the conversation.

It always felt good to get back to their own place. They’d driven around to check on Michael’s Silverado, but nothing was amiss with the truck. Neither said anything, but Kendall was greatly relieved. It felt like it had been a long day, which made sense, since he had been up before dawn broke the sky. All they could smell in the truck was mouth-watering meatloaf.

“Should we have a bit more of the dinner Mom gave us?”

“I think we should park Beauty first, Doofus,” Kendall teased.

“Smart-ass.”

Kendall chuckled as he pulled into the underground. “You left yourself wide open.”

“You wish… hey, is that a come on? Cause if it is, I’m ready.”

Kendall just shook his head in dismay. “You’re always ready.”

“Yes, I am,” Michael said with obvious pride, getting another laugh from his partner.

“Aren’t you worn out from last night?”

Michael looked at Kendall like he had three heads. “Absolutely not. I’ve been recharging all day."

“Dear god, I’ve unleashed a monster.”

“We’re talking about my dick again, aren’t we?”

Kendall had trouble getting out of the truck, as he was laughing too hard to do much of anything. Finally able to talk, he gasped out, “You have a one-track mind.”

“Yes I do.”

Two delicious and messy meatloaf sandwiches later, they were freshly showered and ready for bed. True to his word, Michael had been more than ready in the shower, and Kendall had teased him to frustration. Michael was pouting as they climbed into bed… that is until Kendall grabbed the ‘monster’, at which point Michael’s face lit up. A huge sigh escaped him as Kendall started a stroking action that had his partner pumping his hips into the magic hand. His closed eyes popped open when he felt the swipe of a tongue across his cockhead, and he groaned his need for Kendall’s mouth to claim all he could.

The approach tonight was restrained, licking and lapping and gentle sucking as Kendall held the heaviness of Michael’s cock in his palm, treating it like an ice cream cone. Kendall moving to his balls was one of Michael’s favorite things, and he hissed in pleasure when one of them disappeared inside the warm cavern that also housed an actively loving tongue. Michael had no choice but to lock his fingers in Kendall’s hair since he couldn’t reach anything else.

Kendall was in control and he could tell this was one of those times when he wouldn’t relinquish it. He was on a mission to pleasure his man, and there would be no distracting him from his goal. After a delicious eternity, he switched to the other testicle, making a slurping noise as he pulled it into his wet mouth and lavished exquisite attention on it. Another appreciative hissing sound accompanied that possession, and Michael reveled in the dedicated worship he was receiving. The stroking grip on the shaft had changed to an alternating tightening and loosening as it slid the skin up and down over the slippery head, making Kendall’s willing victim squirm with the migrating sensations careening throughout his body, riding a network of stimulated nerve-endings.

Cool air hit his released ball a split second before a welcomed warmth enveloped his cockhead, and Michael’s hips, with a mind of their own, shoved upwards, seeking the tight embrace of his lover’s talented throat muscles. As he lifted, Kendall dove, and the restriction his cock met, momentarily held him hostage before giving way to ultimate oral intimacy. Kendall showed his mastery over the challenge Michael’s cock presented as he bobbed up and down in a controlled rhythm, bringing his partner directly to the brink… and over.

To anyone watching, Michael would have seemed in pain, but Kendall knew better as his mouth was flooded with a well-earned reward of that which verified Michael’s maleness, pleased with the sounds emitted by his lover. As he ran his hands up Michael’s muscular thighs, he felt the tremble that was temporarily residing there, and felt further pride to know he’d turned Michael into a quivering mass. It was goofy grin time as their eyes met over the spotlessly cleaned-up but still hard cock Kendall cradled in his hand.

Kendall let the much-loved appendage go as he crawled up the bed for another prize. The kiss they shared started out sweet but quickly turned searing as they shared the taste of Michael.

“How was that, big guy?”

“My big guy is very happy right now. You’ve become an expert at taking me to the moon. Every time I think it can’t get any better, it does. I definitely need to practice more if I’m going to keep up with you.” Michael stroked his fingers through the golden hair on Kendall’s muscular chest.

“You can practice in a minute. Let’s just take a breather for a little bit.”

Kendall woke up from an amazing dream… only it wasn’t a dream. He was flat on his back, with his erect cock buried in Michael’s mouth, the tightness around it beyond incredible. Michael came up off of it, and stared into open turquoise eyes. Their gaze held for a moment before he dove back down, his eagerness evident as he swallowed Kendall whole again, this time just holding him motionless in his throat. Kendall moaned with the sheer pleasure of the tight velvet grip. Michael did this swallowing thing with his throat that drove his lover crazy. The sounds from Kendall brought Michael back up and off his cock and he slid up the bed for a quick kiss as Kendall’s upright erection seemed to wave with the pulsing it was experiencing. He was getting there, and his cock was demanding more. In a flash, the dedicated man was back at his post, engulfing Kendall’s dick, and satisfying his never-ending fascination with this part of his lover.

He was in control now, and he was enjoying every second of it. He knew Kendall was on the edge when he felt the balls he’d been rolling around in his hand, draw upwards, and the moaning from Kendall began to turn into a needier whine. He used quick head movements to increase the friction at exactly the right time and it was Kendall’s turn to writhe with pleasure before locking his muscles as his ejaculation took over his body. The resulting release never saw the light of day as Michael made good on his intent to take all of the offering into his body. His trance-like attention continued until Kendall had to drag him off his dick with a pleading squeal. He laughed at Kendall’s sensitivity, but understood his guy had reached his pleasure limit, and it was time to relinquish that addictive part of him. Their kiss stayed sweet and gentle, as they shared the taste of Kendall this time.

“Jesus. You don’t need any practice, big guy. That was as good as it gets. Helluva way to wake me up though. I thought I was dreaming at first,” he murmured into his lover’s neck. “Please tell me we’re done for the night. I think you sucked every ounce of energy out of my body.”

Michael chuckled. “That was a fuck of a lot of energy you pumped out. I damn near choked to death, but if I did die, it would have all been in the name of love,” he teased. “I love being able to make you feel like that… I’ve never shared something like this with anyone else, ever, and yeah, we’re done for the night. I know you got up early this morning and you have to do it tomorrow too, so close your eyes, and I got ya.” Michael pulled the comforter from the bottom of the bed and spread it out and over them. He wrapped his arms around a sleepily grinning Kendall, and pulled him close, planting little kisses gently over his face as the supremely exhausted man drifted off to sleep.

Kendall woke the next morning to an empty bed and the smell of coffee. As he was stretching, he looked towards the barely perceptible doorway and saw Michael’s naked frame filling it, the cane in his left hand. The light behind him, coming down the hallway, illuminated his incredible silhouette in a way Kendall had never seen before, and his breath caught at the perfection of the living statue he saw planted there.

“Are you awake?” Michael whispered.

Forcing his mouth to work, Kendall uttered,” Yeah, I’m getting up now.”

Michael moved out of the doorway and quickly towards his partner. “Not yet. We still have a few minutes to spend in bed before you start your day. Did you sleep well?” Climbing in beside him, Michael stroked Kendall’s hair as he stared at him in the dim light.

“Like a rock. You were the perfect sleeping pill.” The grin on Kendall’s face was visible, thanks to the whiteness of his teeth

“I not sure if that’s a good thing. Was that a compliment?”

“You know it was.”

Michael chuckled. “Yeah, I did. I think we tired each other out because I slept like a rock too. And you know what? My knee feels almost normal this morning. I used my cane when I got up, but I didn’t even really need it.”

“That’s good, but don’t take any chances, okay?”

“I promise I won’t, so don’t go worrying today.”

“I trust you. So if I did such a good job tiring you out, why are you up so early?” Kendall yawned.

“I wanted to be up to see you off to work… didn’t want to miss my good-bye kiss this morning. I made coffee for you to take with you,” he finished off in a mumble.

Kendall didn’t say anything to that. He just leaned in and kissed the only person in the world who could make him feel the way he did right now.

Kendall had been at his desk for hours, taking care of the backlog of work only he could do. He had some performance appraisals coming up, and needed to call up and examine a number of employee records covering the past six months. He’d decided, for the invaluable experience it would provide, he would have Jeremy sit in on a couple of them. It took a certain level of skill and diplomacy to inform an employee of what they were doing right, as well as what they were doing wrong. Evaluations could be tough, and needed to be done right. Jeremy’s stepping up to the plate while he was away, had proven to Kendall he was ready for more responsibility. As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. It was Jeremy.

“Hey Boss, I just wanted to check on what you want me to do about the scheduling conflict for the service elevator in Building Five on Friday?”

“Already taken care of. I called them both, and they agreed to share the elevator’s time allotment for the day. The Wilsons are taking the morning now, and they’ll turn it over to the Mr. Stein at 1pm, so it all worked out. We just need our guy to keep an eye on the timing, and head off any conflicts if the Wilsons cut it close. If they run over, we’ll extend the hours for Mr. Stein, okay? ”

“I’ll make a note. You’re good, Captain. I couldn’t get either one to budge,” Jeremy said with admiration.

“They always say no at first, but if you give them a day or two, they usually figure it out, at least most of the time. So Jere, I was hoping you would consider a proposal I have. Michael and I, and a friend work out together when we can, and I wondered if you’d like to join us sometime. We usually go for a snack or coffee or both afterwards, if you’re interested?”

Kendall waited while Jeremy studied him. He had to have noticed the nervous tap of his fingers on the desk. “Are you trying to set me up, Captain?” The wry smile on his face told Kendall he’d been caught out and there was no sense pretending otherwise.

“Well, to be honest, it could be, or it could just be us hanging out. You and I have never hung out before, and I think it’s time we did.” Kendall was aware the change this offer signified in him astonished the man, but it felt right.

“That would be cool, but I don’t think I could keep up with you and Michael with the weights. I do more cardio than weight training.”

“That doesn’t matter. We all have our different routines, and nobody has to match or keep up with anyone else. So are you in?”

“For sure. I’m honored you want me to join you guys. So who are you maybe trying to fix me up with, anyway?” The lonely part of him was coming through, and it touched Kendall.

“Look, Jere, it’s only a possibility, but remember the guy who dropped me off in the white Jeep? He got out and moved some stuff that was rattling in the back, when you and I were talking.”

Jeremy’s ice blue eyes widened as he pictured the guy in his head. “Holy shit, him? The guy with those green eyes?”

Kendall nodded in amusement. He remembered the first time he'd noticed Chet’s eyes.

“He’s a tank.” Jeremy looked a little thunderstruck, before a huge smile took over his face. “Okay, that sounds like a plan.”

Kendall grinned like a Cheshire cat… he had a plan ‘B’.

A welcoming hug and a passionate kiss greeted Kendall when he walked in the door of the apartment. He could never imagine not wanting to come home to such a greeting. Michael had been busy. The apartment was clean as a whistle and Kendall could hear the washer and dryer going in the hallway. Kendall raised his eyebrows and gave Michael a disbelieving look.

“What can I say? I’d make somebody a great wife,” he bragged.

“Yes you would, but I prefer to think of you as husband material with talents in and out of the bedroom.” Kendall sealed his words with a follow-up kiss.

The proud look on Michael’s face was adorable as he listed all the things he’d accomplished in the half-day Kendall had been at work. He reassured a contemplative Kendall he had been very careful with his knee, and had even used the long handled brush in the bathroom to clean the shower, so he wouldn’t have to bend.

“You used the toilet brush to clean the shower?!” Kendall’s astonished face showed his shock. “God, that’s disgusting. You just lost your ‘wife’ credentials, man. I can’t believe you did that,” he exclaimed, shaking his head.

Michael smirked at an agitated Kendall. “Nah, I was just yanking your chain, and it obviously worked.” He giggled Colleen-like, with glee. “I used the brush hanging beside the washing machine in the laundry closet.” The giggle turned to flat out laughter at the still-sour look on his partner’s face at the thought.

“Oh, thank God!”

All that was left to do was to decide on what kind of food they wanted, and order it. They both said ‘Chinese’ at the same time, and set about writing up a varied order to call in later.

“How was work? Did Jeremy follow you around like a little panting puppy today?”

“Are you jealous, cause you sure sound like it?” Kendall’s eyes had a challenging twinkle in them.

“No, I’m not jealous… okay maybe a tiny little bit, but I can’t help picturing him staring at your ass, when you’re working together and stuff.” He looked a little embarrassed at his confession.

“You got nothing to worry about, Michael. You’re the only man who gets to touch my ass… or my heart,” Kendall pulled him back in for another hug. He decided now was not the time to mention his offer to Jeremy to work out with them. It crossed his mind that Michael needed to get back to work as well… he had too much time on his hands. He had to admit though, the toilet brush prank was pretty funny, now that he was over the shock of it.

It was 6:30 and they were waiting for their company to arrive. The food, a multitude of various dishes for four big men, was due to arrive around seven.

“This is our first time entertaining as a couple, Ace, well, except for having Chet over that one time. It’s pretty cool, eh?”

“Yeah, it is. Are you nervous? It’s just the guys watching a hockey game, so no big deal, right? Sit down with me and relax.” Michael pulled his partner down onto the couch beside him, nuzzling into his neck, and planting a reassuring kiss on a stressed-looking Kendall.

“I just want them to like each other. I want to see Chet find someone, and be happy.”

“Babe, seriously, even if they like each other, it might be months before anything happens. Don’t go expecting too much. They’ll likely just chat a bit tonight, okay?”

“I know, you’re right. I worry too much, don’t I?”

“Yes, you do, but you’re adorable when you do it. You’ve got the biggest heart of anyone I know.”

Chet arrived first, bringing a huge smile and a twelve-pack of non-alcohol beer. The hugs that followed taking his bulky winter coat, were genuine. It was easy to tell he had missed his friends while they were away. Chet was an Ottawa Senator fan, so the banter began right away.

“Toronto beat us last time, so it’s payback time tonight, boys!” Chet promised with a cocky grin.

“I thought you were a Toronto fan, Chet? What the hell? I rescind the invitation now,” Kendall kidded.

“Too late, my friend. I tend to keep my allegiance a secret, cause you Toronto fans are crazy, but I thought I was among friends here.” He smirked at the Toronto fan dig, enjoying razzing the two of them, laughing at Michael shaking his head in disgust.

“And here I thought you were a decent guy. Fucking Ottawa fan… I can’t believe it.” Michael enjoyed giving Chet a hard time, chuckling all the while.

“Hey, I support the Leafs when they aren’t playing my Senators. I grew up in Ottawa, so I have no choice, and you guys are just going to have to suck it up when my team pummels your team.”

A knock on the door signified Arron’s arrival. Chet swallowed down his nervousness… he wasn’t sure he could pull off their planned practical joke, and pretend he didn’t like Arron, but he was going to give it his best shot. He’d seen Arron ten minutes ago, but his heart still hammered in his chest in response to knowing the man he loved was on the other side of that door. He wished he could just wrap Arron in his arms, and tell the guys they were committed to each other… but they had agreed to keep the ruse going till the first period was over. Surely he could last half an hour?

Arron entered the apartment to enthusiastic greetings from Michael and Kendall, pleased to see Michael standing with just a cane. A quick glance, and then he deliberately avoided eye contact with Chet, not trusting himself to keep up the intended façade. He’d brought a loosely-wrapped gift, a rolled up welcome mat that said ‘welcome to our home’, which was actually from both him and Chet.

Handing it to Kendall, he said, “My grandma always said it was bad luck to come empty-handed to someone’s house for the first time, so here’s a little something to lay at your door.”

Kendall slid the paper sleeve off it, and showed it to an appreciative Michael. “Thanks, buddy, that’s really nice of you. I’d like you to meet a good friend of ours. Arron Bailey, this is Chet Little.”

“We’ve already met,” Chet said with a scowl.

“Yeah, we have. Aren’t you going to shake my hand?” Arron smirked. Chet did, but it was so quick as to almost not have happened.

Kendall looked at Michael, and he shrugged in confusion. “Do you two, like, know each other?”

“You could say that,” Chet spat out. He was getting into this… the astonished looks on Kendall and Michael’s faces egged him on. “Officer Bailey was nice enough to give me a ticket for a U-turn on a deserted road on a Sunday morning. Isn’t that right, Officer?” He caught a glimmer of a twinkle in Arron’s eyes that told him he was doing good so far.

“That’s right, Mr. Little. You break the law, you have to pay the price, and you broke the law.” The smugness on Arron’s face would have pissed anyone off, and Kendall’s heart sank at the disaster he saw this night becoming. Four men were standing there, and two of them were glaring at each other. Kendall was about to intervene but he wasn’t quick enough.

‘Yes, Officer, I did break the law, as you say, but you couldn’t just give me a warning instead of ruining my spotless driving record? You checked my license long enough, so you knew I’d never had a ticket before.”

“First of all, I didn’t ruin your so-called perfect driving record… you did, and if you weren’t such a prick about being pulled over, I would have given you a warning. You reap what you sow, and your bad attitude determined that you got a ticket.”

“My bad attitude,” Chet blustered, “You’ve got to be kidding me. You were the one that was all swagger, and in my face. You couldn’t even take off those stupid sunglasses… what is this, the seventies, Hutch? All you needed was Starsky to complete the picture.” Chet turned and walked into the kitchen, presumably to control his anger, but really it was to get a lid on the laughter that was trying to bubble out.

Michael saw the chance to step in, as he saw a disheartened Kendall struggling with his disappointment. “I think you both need to cool down. Obviously you guys got off to a bad start, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all be friends. Arron, let’s sit in the living room for a bit. The game is almost ready to start. We just all need to chill out.”

“Tell that to him,” Arron said while gesturing towards the kitchen with a grimace on his face. “I’m sorry about this, Michael. I wanted to have a nice evening watching the game and talking about your trip.” Ottawa chose that moment to score, in the first minute of play. “Fuck! That sucks. God, I hate Ottawa!”

“Oh, yeah! Way to go, Ottawa,” could be heard from the kitchen right after Arron spoke, and Michael winced as a bad situation looked to be getting worse.

Arron looked incredulous. “He’s a fucking Ottawa fan? Good God almighty. I should have known.” The annoyed look on his face reinforced Michael’s initial opinion that this would be a bad idea, but it was turning out worse than even he could've imagined.

“Yeah, I’m an Ottawa fan… is that against the law too, Officer?” Chet challenged from the kitchen, causing Kendall to react and take Chet to the far side, further away from the living room. “But I want to see the replay,” could be heard from an indignant sounding Chet.

A grumble and a scowl hid the fact Arron was impressed with his partner’s performance, and was having a blast putting this over on Michael and Kendall. “Michael, you didn’t tell me anyone else was going to be here. Is this some kind of set-up, because I hate being set up? If it is, it’s an epic fail because that guy is a fucking jerk.” Arron managed to look pissed off.

“I’m sorry, Arron. This was a bad idea. Kendall… we just wanted you guys to meet, but it’s pretty clear you guys aren’t going to hit it off, so can we just try to make the best of a bad beginning?” He lowered his voice and said, “I think Kendall’s feeling pretty disappointed.” Michael’s words had the desired effect, and had Arron feeling a little guilty… but then he heard laughter from the kitchen as Kendall and Chet shared something amusing, and he didn’t feel as bad.

A knock on the door announced the arrival of the Chinese food, and gave an excuse for Michael and Kendall to escape the tension they were feeling, as they both headed towards the door. Arron took the opportunity to wink at Chet, and got a small smile in return. Chet couldn’t help thinking it was wrong to have so much fun being mean.

“Okay guys, help me spread all this out on the counter. It’s self-serve. Plates and cutlery are all here,” Kendall was trying his best to sound nonchalant, despite the awkwardness he felt. He surreptitiously noticed how Arron and Chet avoided each other, choosing to keep the counter between them. Arron filled his plate and expressed his gratitude before heading back to the television. Michael shrugged again at Kendall and looked resigned as he followed the policeman back into the living room, using his cane for balance.

“So, Chet, maybe we’d be more comfortable here at the counter. Is that alright with you? We can see the TV from here if we sit at this end?” Kendall could see Michael looked relieved at the suggestion.

“Sounds good to me. I like it better here,” Chet responded, quickly sending an unfriendly look towards Arron. He was piling it on now.

Kendall felt bad, but he was also a little annoyed that these two grown men were acting like this. Obviously they didn’t like each other, but they weren’t trying very hard to be polite. He would never have expected this from Chet, and he made a promise to himself that he was done with trying to set people up… but then again, there was still Jeremy.

A quiet settled over everyone as they ate what should have been delicious food and watched the game, but Kendall found it hard to enjoy his when the tension beneath the surface was driving him crazy. Michael’s state wasn’t much better… more because he felt bad for Kendall than anything else.

Kendall started chatting to Chet about his dad and the trip to Calgary, and Michael started doing the same with Arron, and soon there were two talks going on at once, each one separate from the other. The heavy feeling in the air seemed to be lightening as the two conversations flowed.

“Chet, do you remember my assistant, Jeremy.” Kendall was determined to salvage something from the night, no matter what his brain told him. He felt like he had failed his lonely friend.

“The good-looking blond guy, that looks like a runner?”

“Well, yeah, but he’s more bulky than a runner. He looks more like a gymnast, I think.”

“Okay, yeah, you’re right. I remember him. What about him?” Chet never stopped eating as they conversed, so engrossed was he in his food.

“I was just wondering if you’d be interested in joining Michael, Jeremy, and I for a workout, and maybe go for a coffee or something when we’re finished? I’ve already talked to Jere, and he’s up for it.”

Without even thinking about it, Chet said, “Sure. When do you want to do this?”

In the blink of an eye, Arron was at Chet’s side, looking him square in the face. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Chet?” His words made Chet choke on a mouthful of chow-mien, as he tried to figure out what was happening. This wasn’t the plan.

“I was just talking to Kendall, Officer Bailey. What’s it to you?”

“Oh, cut the Officer Bailey crap! You just made a date right in front of me, green eyes. What the fuck were you thinking?” Arron did not look happy, and it was clear the green-eyed monster that wasn’t Chet, had reared his ugly head.

“Wolf, come on, I was just playing along like I was supposed to.”

Kendall looked over at a stunned Michael, and tried to fathom what this exchange between these two was all about. Green eyes? Wolf?

“Nowhere in ’playing along’ did we say we could make a date with someone else. And you,” he turned his attention to Kendall, “You try to set us up and when you think it isn’t working, you bring someone else out of the closet. What the hell, man?”

Chet started to laugh, and Arron turned his attention back to his first target.

“What, in God’s name, are you laughing at?”

“You, Baby.” He laughed some more as he held out his arms. “Come here, Wolfie, I wasn’t making a date with anyone. Why would I when I have the sexiest man in the world as my partner?” He chuckled some more as he pulled Arron in close and kissed him possessively on the lips before nuzzling his mouth into the side of Arron’s head. “You know you’re the only guy for me,” he whispered.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Kendall was completely flummoxed. These two guys who couldn’t stand to be near one another, had just sucked face out of the blue, and were wrapped up like they belonged together. “Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Kendall looked over to his partner in consternation.

“I think we’ve been played, Babe, but I have no idea why, so could you guys stop the lovey-dovey stuff long enough to clue us in.”

“It’s simple, guys. Arron and I are partners.” The smugly happy look on Chet’s smiling face beamed out at both of them.

“What the hell kind of partners?” Kendall knew what he was seeing, but still wasn’t getting what had happened.

Arron turned around with a grin, and leaned backwards into Chet’s strong arms. “We’re life partners, Kendall. We live together now.”

Kendall slumped down on the stool behind him as Michael came around the counter to join him. “So all that stuff earlier was a lie?”

Chet laughed at Kendall’s expression. “Nope, it was the truth. We just left some stuff out… stuff we were going to tell you at the end of the first period. Well, except Arron actually did give me a warning and not a ticket. He figured if he gave me a ticket I might not show up for our date.”

“I am so confused right now. So why didn’t you tell us right away. Why make us think you didn’t like each other? Do you know how freaked out you made us? And how the fuck are you two living together already? We’ve only been gone two weeks.” Kendall wanted answers, while Michael watched it all with amusement, wrapping his arms around Kendall in an attempt to calm him.

It was Arron’s turn to speak. “When you first invited me over to dinner when you guys got back, before you left, were you trying to set us up?”

Kendall shot a sheepish look at Michael before admitting it.

“And you had no intention of telling me?” Arron smirked at Kendall as he asked the question.

“No, not really. I figured you’d meet and maybe you’d hit it off.”

“Yeah we figured that out when we got talking. Chet told me you’d invited him over and there was someone named Arron you wanted him to meet. I hate set-ups, man, and that’s why we did what we did. We were teaching you a lesson,” he said with humor, “and it worked because you should see your face. We went out to dinner to discuss how we were going to get you back for setting me up on a blind date without telling me.” Arron leaned further back into Chet. “And the rest, as they say, is history.” He looked very pleased with himself. They both did.

A small part of Kendall wanted to smack the two grinning men. “Holy fuck! I really thought you guys hated each other. Hell, you got me good. I still can’t wrap my head around this, but I guess maybe I deserved this. You can tell me ‘you told me so’, Ace.”

“I would never do that, Babe. You do realize you’re the reason these two characters went out on their first date, don’t you?” Michael looked at Chet and Arron for verification, and to let them know he thought they should make his partner feel good.

Arron was the first to respond. “Actually green-eyes, Michael’s right. It was the intended set-up that gave me the excuse to ask you out.” His eyes twinkled as he half-turned to look at his partner.

“I guess we have to give credit where it’s due, Wolf. Thank you, Kendall, for attempting to interfere in our lives,” he joked. “Seriously though, I mean the ‘thank you.' I’ve never been happier in my life. I wanted to find what you two have, and I did, a couple of Sundays ago. I love this man with all my heart, and I know he loves me just as much.” There was a lot of emotion to be heard in Chet’s voice.

“You’ve got that right, green eyes. I know it might seem too fast to you guys, but really, it isn’t. There hasn’t been a second where it hasn’t felt exactly right.” Arron pulled Chet’s hand to his lips and kissed it.

Michael had been watching the two of them and spoke what he felt. “I don’t think it’s too fast at all. When it’s right it’s right, and it sure looks right to me.” He gave Arron a look and started chuckling. “You talk about the look on Kendall’s face when you guys were playing your game; you should have seen the look on yours when Kendall mentioned Jeremy to Chet. You were out of that chair so fast you were almost a blur.” He laughed loudly at the memory, as did the rest of them. Arron turned a bright red, but saw the humor in his actions.

“I don’t know what happened. When I heard Chet say yes to Kendall’s idea, I forgot all about the plan, and just saw red,” he admitted sheepishly. “I’m sorry I got so jealous.”

“I don’t mind you getting jealous… In fact, I kind of like it. You were really pissed off, which means you must really love me.” He smirked, and Michael and Kendall enjoyed watching Arron’s blush deepen even more.

To take the attention off Arron, Michael went back to his original thoughts. “Like I said before; I don’t think you guys are moving too fast. When you find the right guy, you’ve got to grab hold and never let go.” His look was directed at Kendall, who was intent on what Michael was saying. “Some of us go the other way, and take forever to figure things out. Your way sounds a helluva lot smarter."

“Isn’t that the truth. Just tell me one thing, Chet. I know why Arron calls you green eyes, but why do you call him Wolf?”

“Look close at his eyes.”

They both did, and got their answer. The man’s black-rimmed gray eyes did indeed bring a wolf to mind. They were very striking.

Now that the shock of their little game was over, Kendall found himself extremely pleased they’d found each other, and in a roundabout way, he supposed he did have a hand in it. He smiled when he realized Michael was watching him, and returned the loving look his partner was giving him.

Michael totally understood the importance of Chet’s new-found happiness to Kendall, and was the only one aware of how sad he’d been for his friend, and how content Kendall now felt. Michael knew his partner had carried some guilt for Chet having liked him when he didn’t return the feelings. The night from hell had turned into something else entirely, and he could feel the shared love emanating from his two connected friends, and the happiness that oozed from Kendall.

They all made their way back into the living room, food plates topped up and a completely different vibe to be enjoyed. This time Kendall and Michael relished the Chinese food, the flavors no longer muted by the previous tension. They were mesmerized as Chet and Arron told their story from beginning to end, captivated by their quick and intense journey to where they were now. There was talk about Arron’s house, and talk about the house search for Michael and Kendall, with Chet offering his services in evaluating homes for them. He even had a place he wanted to show them. The hockey game was relegated to background noise for the four friends who now related in a different way… the way couples tend to do.

The Toronto Maple Leafs prevailed in the end, and Chet took the ribbing good-naturedly. The clean-up was shared by everyone, even a more mobile Michael, and was done in no time. Arron was standing at the window looking out at the light snow falling. Appearing startled, he headed for the door, sliding his feet into his boots.

“There’s someone standing beside your truck, Michael,” Arron warned before he took off out the door. Three men hurriedly put their boots on and followed him into the cold night air. They arrived to see Arron confronting Lanny Dixon, of all people.

“What do you think you’re doing, Mr. Dixon?” Arron was playing it cool as he held his hand up to signal the others to hold back.

“What’s it to you, asshole, and who the fuck are you, anyway?” Lanny slurred out the words, and the smell of alcohol drifted over to all of them.

“I’m Officer Arron Bailey, and I was the policeman who dealt with you at the hospital, the day you assaulted Michael Aceto at the Arena.”

Lanny peered at Arron, then past him at the three men staring at him. “Fuck. Is it a crime to take a piss?”

“It is when you piss on someone’s personal property, Mr. Dixon. You were pissing on Mr. Aceto’s truck, and in a public area.”

“Who says I pissed on the fag’s truck anyway?” Lanny scowled drunkenly at Michael, who remained quiet, leaving Arron to do his job.

“The evidence is on the truck, and we can now add a hate crime to the list of charges.” Arron’s cool policeman demeanor was starting to get through to the drunk man, and he realized he was possibly in serious trouble. “You’re guilty of a number of offenses, including vandalism of Mr. Aceto’s truck earlier. These are all serious charges, Mr. Dixon. And where is your vehicle, Sir? Did you drive here?”

“No, I didn’t drive here. I live just over there,” he pointed towards a building three down from where they were, stumbling and almost falling in the process, the vehicle behind him holding him up. “Fuck all these trumped up charges, it was only soap. That isn’t vandalism. I didn’t hurt that bastard’s truck. He’s the one who ruined my fucking life.” Lanny didn’t even realize what he’d just admitted to, and the more he talked, the drunker he sounded. “He cost me everything, the precious Michael Aceto. He took away my fiancée and he took away my baby!” At that Lanny sunk to the ground, and started to cry, a soft keening noise coming from a beaten-looking man.

Michael was stunned, but managed to speak up as he approached this nemesis of his. “What the hell are you talking about, Lanny? Lanny!” Michael’s question seemed to fall on deaf ears as Lanny continued his sobbing. He gave Lanny’s shoulder a shake as he squatted down to face him, his injured knee sinking into the snow. Kendall’s panicked warning about his knee went unheard.

Lanny slowly responded to the shake, and managed to focus his unsteady eyes on Michael’s face. He glowered at him at first, and then seemed to deflate before Michael’s eyes, and started to ramble. “She didn’t want me to go with her to the hospital when she had pains. She ordered me not to, but I went anyway, after she left. I thought it was my baby. The doctor told me.” His teary eyes drifted downward, and he almost seemed to sober up. “She lied to me.” His sigh turned into a tortured-sounding whine. “The doctor said she’s three months… not two months… three.” His eyes looked back up into Michael’s, and they were filled with an agony that startled him. “Know what that means, Michael fucking Aceto? You’re the fucking daddy… not me. No, I’m just a dumb fuck she... she only wanted me cause she couldn’t have you. She needed me to… it’s why she wanted to get engaged so fucking fast,” his voice trailed off, and he was quiet for a second. “I am a dumb fuck…I thought she loved me, hah…Janine fucking told me Candace planned it. The bitch wanted your baby, not mine… she used me… and I fell for it.” A shudder went through the drunk man’s body, and Michael knew it wasn’t from the cold. Lanny took a deep breath and started talking again. “She was going to be the one to make the great Michael Aceto settle down… Janine said it… she was going to trap you, but you’re a fag and she hates your guts now.” Lanny’s broken attempt at a laugh was a sad one. “She lied to me about my baby. See, precious Michael, I don’t have a baby… you do. You’re a fucking faggot and you’re going to be a daddy… not me… but you’re not supposed to know because you’re a homo,” Lanny barked out a pitiful laugh before he hung his head, and that keening noise started up again. He wrapped himself in his own pain, oblivious to the reaction he’d caused as he slid sideways, deeper into the snow.

Michael swiveled his head to look at Kendall, a combination of disbelief and despair on his face. “Is that even possible, what he said?”

Kendall had already done the figuring. His own shock had to be put aside because Michael needed him. He approached his partner and wrapped his arms around him, worry for the strain he’d put on his knee when he knelt down, battling with the concern for what was going through Michael’s mind. “You started seeing Candy three months and a little more than a week ago,” Kendall whispered into his lover’s ear as he reached up and stroked the back of his head, aware of the supportive presence of their friends, standing close. The wailing sound from Lanny Dixon had become interspersed with hiccups. “We’ll figure this all out, Ace, I promise.”

Michael’s only response was to bury his head in Kendall’s neck, needing his calming scent as much as he needed air.