The Watch - 3. Chapter 3

erry and Robert stayed out in the backyard for a few more minutes but eventually Terry excused herself saying she needed to wash her face before Josh saw her. Robert stayed outside, letting the cold air penetrate his cloths and chill his skin. He knew that Terry had not told him everything. There were still some dark secrets being kept from him but he knew better then to try to force them out. He had Mrs. Williams for that.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice the screen door open and Josh join him outside until he spoke.

"Chilly isn't it." Josh commented, triggering Robert to jump as if startled.

"Oh yes, sorry Josh I didn't notice you."

"Staring at the sky?" Josh asked.

"Yep."

"I would tell myself that when I looked up I was watching the same sky you were. It helped me feel close to you." Josh said.

"Damn." Robert though. "You really missed me?" He asked.

"I sure did Robert."

"How...How did you figure it out that it was me."

"I didn't. I was talking to Glenn and he told me how he would use investigators to dig up dirt for his client in divorce cases. I got curious and he gave me the number of one of the ones he uses."

"Sneaky bastard." Robert mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Josh asked

"Oh nothing... So it was this investigator that told you who I was."

"Well it wasn't like I was investigating you but yeah, you turned out to be my Robert. I was amazed on how quick they were. They gave me the info the same day I called."

"Amazing." Robert agreed. He liked how Josh had phrased it, "my Robert". Mrs. Williams should add the title of yenta to her name the way she was playing the two like a fiddle, Glenn and Kyle also.

"It was then that I started noticing your face, how you still look so much like the Robert I knew only bigger."

"I noticed the same but was just afraid to saying anything," Robert half lied. He wasn't going to ask Josh why it took him so long to say anything. He wasn't that big of a hypocrite.

"So what are we going to do now?" Josh asked nervously.

"I don't know. I would guess get catch up on the years that have passed but I think both of us would like to forget those years... so lets start fresh."

"Yeah," Josh said as he stared at his watch, "I think that might me a good idea."

Now Robert started to think of the things that he and Josh could do together. Most of his regular hangouts were not the place you wanted to take a newbie to especially if you wanted to keep him for yourself. The baths and bars he had hung around were out of the question unless he wanted to get Josh involved in a threesome, which he didn't. He wanted Josh all to himself and the idea that other men would want to bed him actually made him hate his fellow tricks.

The cold must of finally settled in his bones because Robert began to shake when a light breeze hit him. Seeing his lost friend's discomfort Josh walked behind him and hugged him, warming Robert's back. Robert sighed and relaxed as he felt Josh's hands wrap around his stomach and his nose nuzzle against the back of Robert's neck.

"All warm now?" Josh asked.

"Yes, thanks."

"I remember how warm your lap was when I would fall asleep in it during camp fire. So I guess I'm finally returning the favor."

"I wouldn't mind you climbing on to my lap now?" Robert smiled.

"I think we're a little to big for that now. It would also look weird having another man sitting in your lap."

"He still doesn't know I'm gay." Robert thought. "Either that or he's in denial big time." Robert stressed out big time over to tell him or not. If it was just a misunderstanding then it would be ok but if Josh was in denial over his feelings for Robert and insisting to himself, regardless of the evidence, that Robert was straight then this could lead to problems. He needed to know how Josh felt.

Robert removed Josh's hand from his waist and turned around so he could face him. He then pulled Josh into a tight hug so that his hard cock was pressed against Josh's belly and said the three words he always wanted to say. "I love you."

Josh at first smiled to hear this news but when he began to figure out what the hard thing pressed against him, he began to go pale.

"I'm sorry." Josh excused himself, lifting up his arm to look at his watch.

"Josh it's ok." Robert insisted while trying to look Josh in the eyes. He failed miserably at this, as Josh would not let his eyes leave his watch.

Eventually Robert gave up and let Josh go. He had his answer. Josh was in some serious denial. Robert also guessed that if anyone could bring him out of it, it would have to be him. If Josh hated himself for being gay it would take a gay man that he was already in love with to help him see it was ok. No stranger or mere acquaintance could help him. It had to be Robert. The fact that Josh apologized instead of hitting him or running away told Robert that deep down inside him Josh understood the same.

After several minutes of silence, Robert, now cold again, told Josh that he was heading back in. Josh just nodded his head that he understood but stayed outside and stared at the stars.

The house was filled with the smell of roasted turkey when Robert finally woke up around ten in the morning. He was surprised that he had slept in so much but he has spent much of the night waiting for Josh to come upstairs. It hadn't been till 2:00 in the morning when he finally heard the stairs creak as Josh came up, walked down the hall right up to Robert's door and a thud was heard. Thinking Josh might have knocked, Robert quickly got out of bed and opened the door to find the hall empty. Josh must have heard him getting up and hurried his ass to his own bedroom.

Robert climbed out of bed slowly, his muscles sore. The mattress was just a little too soft for his taste. He went to his suitcase and got out his travel kit that had his toothbrush, razor, and other such items. The shower was almost like a fire hose with the force it shot out. It massaged his body but made jacking off impossible. To do that, Robert went and got out his laptop, put in a CD and played a 20-minute fuck scene he had downloaded. The computer rested on the sink while Robert watched from the toilet. It was a little different in that it was the smooth swimmer build blond fucking the hairy football type bear. The two started off in business suits talking about work when the blond grabbed the other's one's tie and pulled him into a kiss. They then proceeded to strip and after a little sucking, the bear was on his back on top of the desk, his feet up in the air as the blond pounded him. There was an undershot of the blonde's balls slapping against the man's ass as he moved in and out. For Robert it had started off as his usual jack off but the image in his mind kept on turning to Josh fucking him. It was Josh he imagined running his hands though Roberts black chest hair, pinching his nipples as he went. It was the soft brown pubic hair covering Josh's cock that Robert fantasized scratching against his opening. As he watch the movie Robert imagined that it was Josh who bent down to kiss him, their tongues entwined. Without really thinking Robert let his left hand wander down and massage his hole with small circular motions. Any person who had know Robert for any given about of time would be laughing their heads off of the picture of Robert leaning back against the toilet, face red, his legs up in the air as he stroked his dick with one hand and rubbing his holy of holy, the only part of him that was still virgin, with the other.

It was funny to look at but for Robert it was also a little scary, he never thought of himself as a bottom or even versatile for that matter. During the years of his relationship with Lance, he had never bottomed for him.

It was just as he was about to shoot his load that for the first time something went in instead of out of his ass as he slipped his index finger pass the ring muscle of his anus and began to swirl it around. It was then that he fired off. The first shot arced up to his opened mouth, draping over his lips. The other shots hit him in the chest and stomach each one a little shorter then the last. When it was done, Robert removed his finger and lowered his legs. He then grabbed the base of his cock, squeezed it tightly and moved it up, squeezing out the last of his cum like a tube of toothpaste. He then rubbed the head of his now sensitive dick with his thumb, spreading his love juice around it. When he looked back on the screen the movie was only half way done. In those ten short minutes, Robert had had one of the best orgasms he could remember. It was definitely the best jack off he had ever had.

At around the same time, Josh was waking up with a similar problem. He awoke with what he had thought was his usual piss hard on but when he got to the toilet, his dick did lower a little but then came back with a vengeance. That night, Josh had dreamt of Robert and him doing things to him that Josh didn't want to think about. He went to the mirror over his sink and tried to stare his libido into submission. Instead though, he found himself turned on. His nipples were rock hard and stuck out of his shirt. As the bathroom was cold from the night before, this wasn't unusual.

What was unusual was the fact that Josh found it arousing. He raised his hand and began to move his fingers in tight circles around his nipples. They were so sensitive to his touch that Josh found his breathing was picking up. It a fit of anger at himself he grabbed the nipple and pulled on it as if to removing the offending organ. What happened when he did that was not the settling of his sex but an actual jerk of it, literally. His cock, which was sticking straight up, flinched when he had pinched and now a dark spot stained his white boxers along the line it had moved. His dick, now in an awkward position, begged to be touched. Josh slid his other hand under the elastic band of his shorts and griped it at the base but instead of moving it to a more comfortable position, he ran his thumb along the top ridge pulling his dick down to a horizontal position. When he ran out of cock and let go, his cock bounced back up, slapping against his stomach. The loose fabric of his shorts was now folded between his dick and waist. Josh, now lost in the moment ran his fingers through the brown hair that cover his groin. Soon two hands were there, one around the groin the other cupping his balls and sometime pulling on the hairs on them. This position could not be maintained as Josh was hunched over with both hands down his boxers. Sex takes up a lot of space and jacking off is no different. Josh was able to pry both his hands out before using them to slip his shorts off before sitting his ass on the toilet. Josh then got himself in to some serious jacking off.

He pulled his nightshirt off, tossing it to the floor and began to pinch his still hard nipples as he licked his lips. He closed his eyes and used his other hand to stroke himself, stopping every now and then to spread the precum along his veined shaft. He gave himself the freedom to imagine what it would be like for Robert to wrap his mouth around his cock, to have his rough tongue lick around the head. The cold air trapped in the toilet caused his butt to get goose pimples as it tingled the skin. Josh began to wonder if this was how it felt to be fucked, to tingle all over as if out of happiness.

Josh took the hand he had been using to play with his nipples to his mouth and suck on the fingers as if it were a cock. He then played with his chest again but this time let the pinched skin slip thought his wet finger. His other hand was now squeezing as much as it was rubbing, applying pressure to the hard organ just as the pressure inside built up. The last thing he pictured before shooting his load was Robert kissing him as his hand joined his around his dick.

The cum didn't go as far as Robert's but it did cover his chest. Josh continued to hold on to his limping dick as his other hand spread his seed all over his body. When his dick had returned to a small handful and the calm had taken over the need, Josh took his cum laden fingers and put them into his mouth, imagining that Robert had shot his load in his mouth.

After both men had showered, Robert for the second time, they ran into each other as they each left their bedrooms.

"Hi." Josh nervously smiled.

"Hi Josh." Robert returned with his own grin. "Have a good night sleep?"

For some reason both men knew what the other had done and while it made Josh nervous, Robert thought it was the funniest thing he had ever seen. Here were two men who were attracted to each other but because one of them was in denial, they had ended up jacking off fantasizing about each other instead of the real thing. It was the closest thing they could of done to having sex with each other without actually being in the same room.

"Sleep well?" Robert asked as the two of the started down the stairs.

"All right." Josh lied. He had tossed and turned the whole time worrying if he had hurt Robert's feelings.

"Yourself?"

"Like a baby." Robert also lied. He had tossed and turned worrying about Josh.

When they got to the living room, Nathan was sitting on the floor watching the Thanksgiving parade, waiting for the big finish when Santa would come on his big float. This was the first Christmas that Nathan knew who Santa was without being told. The coming Christmas was going to be special, as Nathan wanted to stay up and wait for Santa to arrive. He already knew about the cookies but he also wanted hay to feed the deer with hay. His mother told him that the deer would prefer apples instead but then Nathan wanted to get each deer a dozen apples each. They were still negotiating this issue with Terry hoping that a dozen apple slices would be enough.

"Hi Nate." Josh called out to his son. Josh was the only one to call his son Nate, short for Nathan. It was one of those small things that mark the good father / son relationship the two had.

"Daddy!" Nate called out. He ran over to his father, wanting to be picked up and hugged.

As Josh hugged his son, Robert was still amazed by how much the two looked alike. Nathan looked like a younger version of the ten-year-old boy Josh had been when Robert first met him. They both had the same wide blue eyes that seemed to lighten whenever they were happy like now. They both also had the same brown hair, with Josh having his cut shorter and was a little darker from age then his son's who's hair was so light it was almost blond.

Nate, after he was put back down to the ground, went back to the television where he laid down and held his head up in the same two handed manner as his father. It finally hit Robert that besides being Josh's lover he wanted to be Nate's other daddy. It would be the final piece he needed to achieve the family he had always wanted.

Robert was still deep in these thoughts when he noticed that Josh had already left for the kitchen. Feeling a little awkward there by himself, Robert hurried to catch up. Half the breakfast table was taken up with covered dishes while the other had a pitcher of juice, two trays of food, one with cheese, crackers, and smoked salmon while the other had fruit and a few cream filled sweet rolls. Josh was busy putting some spread cheese on a few crackers before topping them off with some of the smoked salmon. Terry, on seeing Robert handed him a cup of coffee before giving him a pat on the rear to move him along.

"You better eat up cause dinner won't be till 3:30." She smiled from her red and white striped apron.

Robert gave her a friendly grin from his cup and made his way to the table where Josh was snacking. Usually Robert was use to arriving just in time for dinner at Glenn and Kyle's house so he wasn't use to the pre-meal snack but he guessed that a simple meal like this would keep the rest of the family from bugging Terry while she cooked. Robert took as small plastic plate and filled it with a few strawberries, pineapple slices and melon. He tried to avoid the Danishes and crackers but he soon found Josh piling more food onto his plate.

"You heard Terry, you have to eat up. Don't worry you'll have plenty of room by dinner time."

That's not what Robert was afraid of. He prided himself in keeping trim. The last Thanksgiving Robert had been nearly kicked out when he started peeling the skin off Kyle's seasoned turkey. But while he was able to offend his friend's hard work and effort, Robert could just not say no when Josh hand fed him a cracker loaded with cream cheese and salmon. He had to stop himself from doing a mental calculation of how many sit-ups it would take to burn that one serving off.

It was then that Nathan came running in shouting that Santa was now on the television. Josh put down his plate, grabbed Robert's hand and dragged him over to the living room. Nathan was jumping up and down excitedly as the television the big red man himself waving to the camera and the crowds around him. The song "Here Comes Santa Clause" was blaring from speakers around the float. Nathan eventual calmed down enough to join his father on the couch where he planted himself on his lap as he began listing all the things he wanted Santa to bring him. Robert kept his ear opened to the list since he also wanted to "play Santa" and buy something for Nathan.

As soon as the parade was over, Nathan began to fall asleep. Josh told Robert that Nate had been up since 5:00 this morning waiting for the parade to start. It seemed that both were tired, as soon Josh was also asleep with his son still in his lap. It reminded Robert so much of the times when Josh had fallen asleep in his lap.

Terry eventually cam out of the kitchen and looked at the happy scene. The two men that meant most to her were asleep while the man that wanted to love them both watched on.

"I better get Nathan in bed if he's going to be awake for dinner," She finally said as she began to take off her apron.

"Can I take him up?" Robert asked eagerly.

"Sure why not. You might was well take Josh back up also. He had a long night"

Robert picked the boy up, letting his head rest a top his shoulders. The boy instinctively wrapped his arms around Robert's neck but didn't really wake up.

Robert, who didn't ever get to the "grand tour" with Josh so he had to guess as to which room was Nathan's. The first room he opened turned out to be Josh's office and the second looked more like a playroom then a bedroom. But on the third try he opened what could be described as a boy's room. Baseball wallpaper covered the walls. There was a small, low-level wooden bed in one corner, a dresser in another and two toy chests in the third. A small child's table took up the middle of the room and was covered with coloring books. When Robert laid Nathan in the bed and covered him in the sheets he saw a book on the nightstand. It was a copy of the "The Boxcar Children" standard orphan reading about a family of children who live in an abandoned boxcar. It was a tale of how a group of abandoned children could live on their own but it was also a tale of how they were finally rescued, a sort of "Swiss Family Robinson" without the parents. Robert was not surprised to see that this was the book Josh was reading to his son.

After making his way back down stairs Robert had to decide what to do about Josh. He was strong enough to carry him over his shoulders. In fact, he would like to. He just wasn't sure that Josh would be amiable to such treatment. Instead he lifted the half awake Josh as if he were a drunk with his arm wrapped around his shoulder. He helped Josh up stairs but instead of taking Josh to his own bedroom, He took him to the guest room. He lowered Josh onto the bed but didn't cover him in the sheets. Robert wanted that privilege himself. As soon as Josh's head hit the pillow he was asleep again. Robert watched Josh with the same intensity, as Josh seemed to stare at his watch. Looking at each detail of his face. After a few moments Josh turned on his side so he was facing to the edge of the bed and in the position Robert wanted him. Robert quietly walked to the other side of the bed and spooned up next to Josh, warming his back and wrapping his arms around his waist. Josh responded by moving back closer to Robert. Robert sighed before giving Josh a gentle kiss on the back of the neck before going back to sleep himself.

The movement of the bed waked Robert as a third body joined them. Robert let go of Josh and turned around to see Nathan resting his head on the other pillow.

"Can I have a hug too?"

"Yep, but we have to be quite cause dad in still sleeping." Robert whispered. He took the boy in his arms and gave him a gentle hug.

"You love my daddy?"

"How did you know?"

"Mommy told me. She said I needed to be nice to you cause you were my daddy's best friend."

"Oh she did?"

"Yep," Nathan said, repeating Robert's phrase. "But I told mommy that I liked you already. You're funny."

"Thanks but how am I funny?"

"You act like mommy."

"I act like mommy?"

"You act like my daddy's mommy?"

"You mean wife."

"Yep."

"Well I do love your daddy."

"Then where is your ring." Nathan asked as he grabbed Robert's hand looking for a wedding ban.

"Well daddy has not given me one yet."

"Ok, but when dad gives you one, will you be another mommy or another daddy?"

"What would you like me to be?"

"Let me see." Nathan said inquisitively and he touched Robert's face.

"Ewwww, your face is rough, more then daddy's so I guess you'll have to be another daddy too."

Robert chuckled at Nathan's pronouncement. "Sorry that I have a rough face."

"That's ok, daddies are more fun then mommies anyway. I can play baseball with daddies."

"Well I guess I need to get a baseball mitt." Robert chuckled, this time waking Josh up.

"Hi dad." Nathan beamed when he saw his father open his eyes.

"Hi Nate. Josh greeted groggily.

"When are you going to give Mr. Robert a wedding ban so he can be my other daddy and we can play baseball?" Nathan asked innocently.

"Well Nathan," Josh replied while staring at his watch. "You can have only one daddy at a time but Robert can still play baseball with you."

"Thanks dad." Nathan smiled, not a care in the world as he climb over Robert to kiss his dad on the cheek. "Can I show you my baseball bat?' Nathan then asked Robert.

"Sure kiddo. Want to join us Josh?"

"I think I'll rest for a little longer. Y'all go on ahead."

"All right," Robert replied sadly as he followed after Nathan who was already heading down the stairs.

When both were gone, Josh took a deep breath and began repeating his mantra. "All sin originates from a thought."

Josh had always felt that as long as you didn't think bad thought you wouldn't commit bad deeds. It was a little like expecting water not to run down a waterfall but Josh was hard on himself. It wasn't Robert's fault. He was gay and not involved in a relationship. Josh though was married and had a kid. Lusting after another person let alone another man was just one additional step down toward the slippery slope of sin and total damnation. He had known for a long time that he was attracted to men. As a kid he would bit his hand after masturbating out of guilt and self-hatred for fantasizing over the local football jock or fellow members of his high school soccer team. The logical part told him that what he was feeling was all right that it was an acceptable part of him, but the part of him that his adoptive parents tried to mold told him what he was feeling was wrong. He had tried so hard to escape that part of himself even to the point of reclaiming his old name but still it had a hold on him. He so badly wanted to tell Robert that he loved him but each time the words tried to come out of his throat he would look at his watch and the secret hidden there.

The air was still cold but less windy in the early afternoon hours. The bat that Nathan had was actually a small plastic one just the right size for his small hands. Robert tossed the small plastic ball toward him for a while, letting Nathan run after it when he hit it. When Nathan would hit it, it would only travel a few yards but Nathan rarely missed. Josh soon joined them handing Robert his coat. Robert handed Josh the ball while he put the coat on.

"I hope you didn't mind me going to your room to get it." Josh said to Robert as he gave the ball an underhanded toss to his son.

"No, thanks. I should of gone back to get it."

"No problem." Josh said as he returned the ball to Robert.

They continued to play outside for another half hour, Robert tossing the ball while Nathan hit it and Josh retrieved it. It was the first time since camp that Robert had played a game with a child Nathan's age and it bought back fond memories. Eventually Nathan got curious and asked Robert to hit the ball. Robert was the tallest person he had ever been around and was impressed by his size. Josh took up throwing the ball and after missing it twice Robert hit the ball over the backyard fence.

Instead of being angry over loosing his ball, Nathan shouted "Home Run!" He then ran around the yard as if he were running bases. When he finished his circuit he ran over to high five Robert before running to his father arms. "Did you see that?" He said excitedly.

"I sure did Nate."

"Will I be able to do that some day?"

"I'm sure you will." Josh smiled as he gave his son a kiss on the nose before putting him back down.

"That was cool Mr. Robert!"

"Thanks, I was afraid I was going to strike out for a second!" Robert laughed.

"Well if you boys are done for the day, dinner's ready." Terry's voice came from the door.

"Mom did you see that!" Nathan shouted to his mom.

"I sure did."

"I wonder if it hit the neighbor's house?" Nathan smiles with a wicked grin.

"Well I'm sure it didn't break a window. Now come in and wash your hands for supper."

"All right mom."

Josh tried to sneak past his wife without looking her in the eyes. She hated when Nathan got dirty right before dinner. "And be sure that you and Robert wash up as well." She chided as she gave he husband a whack on the butt with the towel she was carrying.

After all of the washed up they gathered in the dining room where Nathan, instead of sitting between his parents, asked if he could sit next to his new hero, Robert. Terry sighed but agreed so long as Nathan promised not to pepper Robert with a hundred baseball questions.

The table, which could serve eight, was covered with food; two different salads, one a fruit salad the other spinach with hot bacon dressing. There were two platters of turkey separated into light and dark meat, a custard like corn casserole, mash potatoes with butter and chives, a vegetable melody, gravy, and of course cranberry sauce. All of this lay on top of a white tablecloth, which was laced on the edges. Terry looked at her precious tablecloth and the three hungry men sitting around it and sighed knowing that it would soon need to go to the cleaners.

After Josh said grace, the three adults began passing the food around. Josh asked Robert to pass him Nathan's plate so he could take care of Nate's serving. When all the food had been passed Robert began eating only to stop when Nathan looked at him like he had done something wrong.

"What's wrong?' He mumbled through a mouth full of turkey.

"Mom and dad are supposed to have the first bite." Nathan said as if everyone knew this.

"Oops, sorry." Robert apologized while Josh and Terry blushed in embarrassment.

"Old farming custom." Terry explained.

"Its ok Nate, Robert's a guest so he gets to take the first bite." Josh covered.

"Oh, ok." Nathan said as if he now understood "Sorry Mr. Robert."

"No problem."

After that, there was a nervous chuckle and everyone began to eat. Nathan tried to ask Robert a hundred questions about baseball but it turned out that he knew more then Robert did. After trying to explain the sport and its best players to Robert, Josh intervened and said that if Nathan kept hurried and finished his dinner he could pick two slices of pie instead of one. The promise of more pie did its trick and Nathan didn't say a word until his entire plate was clean but by then he was so full his father knew that he could get away with giving his son two half size slices of pies and Nathan would be just as happy.

After everyone had had their fill, Terry went up stairs and brought down two suitcases and Nathan's coat.

"Well I'm off to my sister's you two have fun doing the dishes she laughed as Robert looked stunned.

"What?"

"Oh each holiday, Terry and Nathan go see their relatives back on the farm. It is also a tradition that if she cooks I clean or in this case we." Josh explained.

"Why do I get the feeling I was brought here for manual labor?" Robert joked.

"Don't worry, it won't take too much time. Just be glad that Terry is in a good mood. When she gets angry she can really cook up a storm and it shows in the kitchen."

"Hahaha, I'll take your word for it." Robert laughed. "So when will I see you again Terry?"

"Oh I won't be back till next week?"

"Next week?" Josh said surprised. I thought you were only going to stay for a weekend?"

"Well my sister just had a new baby so I decided to help her out for a while."

"Thanks for telling me." Josh moaned

"No don't get upset Josh. I just received the call last night. I had a long talk and decided I was needed elsewhere for a while. Don't worry. I'm not abandoning you." She said as a half-truth. She did not mention that the person she had talked to had not been her sister but Robert.

"What about Nate?" Josh asked still a little sad.

"Well he really has had not much of a chance to meet his cousins and you know he loves the farm animals. If he gets homesick I'll just give you a call and you can pick him up." She said almost as a dare knowing that Josh would never return to the farm.

"All right but keep your cell phone charged so I can call Nate and you."

"Will do. So long boys. Don't have too much fun while I'm away." She smiled as she led Nathan out of the house.

While Josh was clueless, Robert knew exactly what Terry had done. She had removed herself so that Robert could have a chance at Josh. It tickled him how she was manipulating her husband. It tickled him straight to his dick, which began to swell on the idea of being alone with Josh for the long weekend.

It was just dawning on Josh that he was now alone with the man he was falling quickly in love with. He didn't know if he could control himself. He didn't know if he even wanted to.

After washing the dishes and putting away the food, Robert and Josh relaxed in the living room and started a fire. It was only a few minutes when Robert heard a soft snoring sound coming from Josh.

"Gosh, he must be working himself too hard." Robert thought due to the speed that Josh would fall asleep as soon as he got comfortable.

Robert sat in his chair and watched over Josh trying to figure out the riddle behind the hidden sadness Josh seemed to carry with him. He knew that Josh had a very unpleasant childhood first with the death of his family and again when he was adopted. He also knew that Josh was confused about his sexuality by the way Josh would try to connect with Robert but pull away when things got too physical. The only thing he didn't understand was the watch. Why did Josh stare at his watch so much? What did it mean? It seemed that whenever he got nervous he would look at his watch. Robert continued his vigil of watching Josh until he was sure that Josh was deep asleep. He then walked up and knelt next to Josh and tried to examine the watch. It was bulky stainless steel watches that covered his wrist. There was nothing that seemed special about it. It was neither new nor old and there was now inscription in it that he could see. After making sure that Josh was really asleep, Robert began to try to work the watch off so he could see if something was on the back.

He had just worked off the clasp when he exhaled. He didn't know if it was his touching of the wrist or that of his breath but Josh awoke with a start and pulled his arm away causing the watch to go flying into the air. The look on Josh's face was one of pure terror. He stuttered as if he was going to say something but instead he quickly left the room and stormed up the stairs not even bothering to pick up his watch.

Robert knew he had blown it. He had crossed some invisible line and he didn't know how to take it back. He walked over and picked up the watch that now had a scratch on its glass surface. Still curious, Robert turned the watch over to look on the back and saw...nothing. One the standard information on water resistance and brand name was shown. Robert had risked his friendship with Josh to find out nothing only that he had hurt Josh some how. Robert slumped to the floor and began to cry terrified that now all his plans were ruined by one act of indiscretion. After sobbing himself out, he got up and took the watch with him. When he climb up the stairs and passed Josh's door he left the watch on the doorknob before heading to his own bed with the hope of forgetting this night.