Maverick Cattle Company - 7. Chapter 7

Mitch watched Josh idly flipping TV channels in only a pair of shorts and flip-flops. The bright afternoon sunshine streamed through the window and highlighted the hair on Josh's tanned legs, as well as a little in the center of his chest, creating a golden halo around his body that Mitch had to smile about. Mitch recognized that Josh's body was maturing; his beard was a little heavier, shoulders a bit broader, and he was starting to grow more body hair. Mitch thought Josh was becoming a very handsome man, and hoped Zach realized how lucky he was to be with Josh. But Mitch recognized the signs of a lover without his love, and moved to do something to at distract Josh so he wasn't sitting around the house moping all day.

Mitch opened the freezer and pulled out the vanilla ice cream. He grinned to himself as he stuffed ice cream into a big tumbler until it was packed, and then started pouring Dr. Pepper around it. He poured slow, knowing that Josh wanted as much pop as possible. Once it had a tall brown cap on it, and as much pop as possible, he stuck in a long spoon and carried it to Josh.

"Here, something to drown your sorrows," said Mitch with a smile.

Josh reached up and wrapped his hands around the glass. Bringing it to his mouth, he sucked off part of the foam and licked his lips. Turning to look at Mitch, he gave a lopsided smile.

"Not very subtle, huh."

"Nope, you have Darrin's sad puppy look down pretty well though," joked Mitch.

"Oh jeez, that bad?" asked Josh.

Mitch nodded and laughed, "Yeah, pretty much."

"He's only home for a month. He'll be back. I'm sure you can figure out how to entertain each other in the mean time," said Mitch with a throaty chuckle.

Josh looked at Mitch with a look of confusion for a few moments, and then Mitch's insinuation dawned on him.

"Oh jeez, Mitch! Why do you say shit like that?" said Josh.

"Hey, it's the age of video chat. Might as well make a date of it," said Mitch with a huge grin on his face. "Come on, let's go grab the new fishing stuff Darrin insisted we needed and see if we can catch some catfish from the creek. Fried catfish and hushpuppies sounds good tonight."

"Alright, alright. I'll show you Texans how to fish. First we need some bloodbait to catch the really big ones," said Josh as he pulled himself out of the chair and snagged his t-shirt.

"Bloodbait? Damn, these Oklahoma fish are vicious!" said Mitch and then he snorted.

Josh rolled his eyes as he stepped out on the porch. Heading for the barn, he quickly grabbed the new fishing equipment and tossed it into his pickup. Mitch climbed in seconds later and they headed to the combination bait shop, grocery store and gas station a few miles from the ranch to get the type of bait that Josh wanted. Heading back to the ranch, they turned into one of the pastures and Josh drove toward the creek. Mitch smiled to himself that Josh picked a spot that was nowhere close to where Mitch's accident happened. He found it a little funny that Josh seemed to be a superstitious. But the spot Josh chose was nice, with a decent stand of cottonwood trees and the creek had deepened into a good-sized fishing hole.

Josh grabbed everything and carried it to the side of the creek. He pulled the lid off the bait and Mitch leaned over to look inside the plastic tub.

"What the hell is that?" asked Mitch.

"Bloodbait, I told you already," said Josh.

"No, I mean what is it? It looks like some nasty shit!"

"Oh," Josh paused for a few seconds and then replied, "I think its coagulated chicken blood, sometimes you'll find a feather or two in it."

"Oh god, that's nasty! There's no way it will stay on the hook," sputtered Mitch.

Josh gave Mitch a look usually reserved for small children and quickly rigged Mitch's pole. Moving a handful of yards away, he baited his rod. Once both of them had successfully cast into the pool, they settled down to fish. The cool breeze under the filtered shade actually felt very good. Mitch was starting to doze off when a loud whine announced a strike on his line.

"Quick! Set the hook! Set the hook!" yelled Josh.

Mitch quickly flicked the top of the rod back and then started reeling in the fish. For once he was glad that Darrin tended to over think things, because this was no small fish and it was testing his equipment. With Josh standing beside him, he finally landed the fish. Mitch estimated it was easily five-pounds. Carefully avoiding the spines of the thrashing catfish, he picked it up. Mitch pried the hook out of its mouth and put it on the stringer. Turning back to Josh, he smiled and chuckled.

"I'm ahead. You better get fish'n", said Mitch.

The afternoon passed quickly after that, with Josh catching a fish almost as large and both of them missing many more bites. As the late afternoon heat slowed down the fishing, Mitch looked over at Josh.

"He'll be back you know. He's in love with you."

Josh glanced over at Mitch and sighed. "I know. I just miss him."

Mitch waited in the cicada serenaded atmosphere and then asked, "Do you miss him, or do you miss sex? There's a difference."

Josh turned quickly to Mitch, but paused when he saw that the older man was asking a serious question.

"Both I guess. I miss his company. He's got a few quirks," Josh chuckled softly, "But he's a nice guy."

"He loves you, Josh. I kinda like the kid, even if he did cause me a lot of heartburn and weeks of itching when he kissed Darrin. Let him down easy if he isn't the one," said Mitch in a carefully toned request. Mitch looked at Josh with a smile, "And we all have quirks. If you think you are going to find the perfect man, you are going to end up alone and bitter with 13 Pomeranians."

Josh chuckled and then let out a long sigh, "I know, I'm just not sure."

"It's ok. Just give yourself time. You'll know when it's the right guy."

"Did you know Darrin was the one from the beginning?" asked Josh.

Mitch chuckled, "I thought Darrin was hot from the first time I saw him. And he's such a great guy. But it took almost a year before we became a couple."

"Why?"

"A lot of reasons, most of which you probably don't want to hear," said Mitch with a chuckle. "But like all good things it took some time before I knew it was serious between us."

Josh nodded slightly and turned back to his fishing, thinking about their conversation. After a few minutes more, Mitch started reeling in his line.

"I think we're done. These two will be plenty of fish for tonight."

Josh nodded his agreement and quickly gathered up their gear, pulled the fish out of the creek and dropped them in a bucket of water to take to the house. The return trip was largely silent as both men thought about their conversation. Josh pulled in beside the barn and they quickly reduced the fish to a number of thick fillets. Leaving Mitch to clean up and stow their gear, Josh went into the kitchen and began supper. Mixing up the batch of hushpuppies, he soon had the fish breaded too and everything ready to begin making the meal.

Darrin walked into the kitchen drying his hair just as the first fish fillet hit the hot oil. He tossed the towel back into the bedroom and moved to help Josh. Soon fish and hushpuppies were cooking as Darrin set the table for dinner. He walked back and leaned against the counter as he watched Josh cook.

"How did you know you loved Mitch?" asked Josh seemingly out of the blue.

Darrin was taken aback for a few moments and then studied Josh, realizing it wasn't just a random question.

"I'm not sure when it moved to love, Josh. It wasn't like getting hit in the head with a frying pan. I thought he was amazingly good looking from the first time I met him, but it took some time before it became real love," Darrin said with a smile.

"Mitch said it took a year for you to get together. How come?"

"Because I didn't know he was gay, mainly," said Darrin.

"How did you find out?" said Josh.

"He busted me staring at him after he had taken a shower," said Darrin with a smile.

"On no!" said Josh with a chuckle, "That's terrible."

"Well, I wouldn't really recommend it. But it worked out for us. Why all the curiosity?"

"Mitch asked me if I love Zach. I don't know how I feel about Zach. I really like him, and right now I really miss him. I love Zach, but I'm not sure I'm in love with him," said Josh with a little sadness.

Darrin draped his arm over Josh and pulled him tight, planting a kiss on his forehead. "Be patient. You'll figure it all out."

Josh nodded and then looked down. Realizing the food was close to burning, he quickly moved to save it. Soon he and Darrin had the table piled with food and Mitch came in to join them. Mitch regaled Darrin with stories of their fishing trip while Darrin laughed over Mitch's reaction to the bait they'd used.

After dinner, Josh was playing video games in his bedroom while Darrin and Mitch did the final cleaning on the kitchen. Darrin glanced at Mitch and then said softly, "Josh was asking how I knew I loved you."

"I thought he might. He talked a little to me about it too."

"Damn, I'm glad I'm not that age again," said Darrin.

"Me too!" agreed Mitch.

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Darrin woke to a tray being slid over his waist as he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes. Looking up with bleary eyes, he saw Mitch setting a breakfast tray across his lap. Darrin stared confused at the tray and then looked at Mitch's beaming face. He almost ruined it by asking what was the occasion, when his brain clicked and he realized that it was their anniversary. Smiling he pulled Mitch down and kissed him warmly.

"Happy Anniversary, babe. This looks wonderful . . . who cooked it?" Darrin asked with a chuckle.

Mitch grinned at him, "Well, some of it I did fix. But most of it ether Josh cooked, or I bought already done."

"Ok, then it's safe to eat," said Darrin with a laugh. "Sit your ass down too. You're eating with me or I'll gain 10 pounds just from breakfast."

Mitch obliged him and sat on the edge of the bed. They talked about their day, and the previous year while they quietly ate their breakfast. Between the prairie fire, Josh's arrival, the accident, prom and graduation, they'd had enough drama to last for a long time. But neither of them really believed it would by-pass them. Once they had polished off the last food from the tray, Mitch picked it up to go back into the kitchen. He smiled at Darrin's nude form that was faintly outlined under the crisp white sheet. He paused long enough to wink at Darrin.

"Don't worry about getting dressed yet. I'll be right back," said Mitch with a smirk.

"Oh, really? And what makes you think I'll still be here," teased Darrin.

Mitch leaned in close and whispered, "Because I'm going to suck you dry."

Darrin lay back on the bed and stretched thinking of Mitch, his erection already tenting the sheet. Mitch was back shortly and stripped off the shorts he was wearing. Crawling into bed with Darrin, he lay on top of his husband and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Happy Anniversary, babe. It has been a hell of a year, but I can't imagine spending it with anyone else but you," said Mitch softly.

Darrin rose, taking a quick kiss from Mitch and then smiling at him. "Nope, I can't either. Even if you are a crazy sumbitch some times."

Mitch pushed Darrin back and gently traced his fingers down Darrin's chest, "We'll see how crazy I am . . ." said Mitch with a grin.

Pressing his hand down, Mitch fastened his teeth over Darrin's lip and tugged on it before releasing it slowly. Pressing his lips hard against Darrin's, he opened his mouth slightly, letting his tongue flick out and taste his husband's lips. His hips were pressed against Darrin's as their slow movements sent delicious sensations through their bodies. Mitch turned his head and sent his tongue deep into Darrin's mouth. Quickly Darrin responded and the two tongues intertwined as their lovemaking progressed. The quiet pop of their saliva-coated lips as they glided over each other was a potent aphrodisiac to the pair. Mitch slowly separated their lips, then darted in for another kiss, another taste, as they shared their essence with each other. A thin strand of saliva extended from Darrin's lip to Mitch's, thinning and snapping as the air stirred. The two were the embodiment of masculine sex as their bodies shared pulses of passion.

"Damn, you get me hot," said Mitch.

"Ah fuck, you always get to me. I still can't believe you're with me," said Darrin with a slight sigh.

"You're the one I need," said Mitch with a soft kiss. A smile flicked across his face and he added, "You complete me," in a high voice.

Darrin groaned and laughed, "Oh god, you're quoting Sid from Ice Age during sex. Our life has come down to this." Darrin threw his arm over his head in a dramatic motion.

But the next sensation refocused Darrin on their lovemaking as Mitch took his cock to the root, and swallowed.

"Oh god, that feels so good."

Darrin watched as Mitch took his cock in again and again. His rough, unshaven face and long dark lashes still made Darrin's heart sing. The sensations coming from his dick were overwhelming, and when combined with the scene Darrin was living, the ecstasy was crackling through his system. Realizing what he wanted, he gently lifted Mitch from his throbbing cock.

"Turn, I want your cock too."

Mitch smiled and quickly moved on the bed so they were on their sides. Mitch slowly slid Darrin's cock back into his mouth as he felt Darrin's hot lips surround the head of his dick. Their heads slowly moved up and down each other's cock, their passion growing with each pass. Mitch let his fingers drift below Mitch's hard shaft, rolling his balls in his sack. With each pass of his fingers, he was rewarded with a spurt of precum.

Mitch pushed Darrin's cock deep inside his throat. With a few adjustments, he had it buried to the pubs and was sliding his head up and down its length. Mitch let his fingers slide between Darrin's legs, burrowing until they found his puckered hole. Gently, he started rubbing his finger over it as his tongue circled Darrin's cockhead. The combination was overwhelming for Darrin's already charged system and his cock exploded.

"Oh, shit! Take it! Eat it all, babe!" yelled Darrin.

Mitch clamped his lips around his lovers shooting cock, taking each volley of cum and swallowing as fast as possible. The bittersweet flavor was a heady elixir for Mitch. Soon the torrent was reduced to a small dribble that Mitch licked from Darrin's cock. As he began to soften, Mitch sucked his cock back in his mouth and nursed it, draining it of every drop of semen. Darrin was panting and twitching as his cock was drained of the last of his essence. Lying on the bed, he quickly recovered and dove onto Mitch's cock like a starving man.

He lowered his head over Mitch's member until he could feel the soft tickle of hair against his lips. He slowly repeated the motion until he knew Mitch was at the brink. Clamping his mouth around Mitch's cockhead, he started jacking his cock. Darrin's hand was a blur on Mitch's shaft as he drilled his tongue into Mitch's slit. Mitch started bucking into his mouth, face-fucking Darrin as his orgasm began, his body shaking as cum filled Darrin's mouth. He could feel trails of jizz running down his cock as it escaped Darrin's lips. His hips convulsed as the last of his juice seeped from his cock.

Darrin lifted Mitch's heavy cock and started licking it clean. Each escaped morsel of cum was sucked into his mouth. He greedily fed, gathering every fragment in his mouth. He pulled Mitch to him and kissed him hard, letting their cum combine as their tongues fought for dominance. The white cream flowed from one mouth to the other until it thinned to nothing. With a final hard kiss, Darrin pulled back slowly, letting a single translucent strand connect the two. He caressed Mitch's face gently and gave him a radiant smile.

"Happy Anniversary, lover," said Darrin softly.

Mitch kissed Darrin again and let his fingers trail across his hairy chest. "Happy Anniversary, babe. Just to let you know, this isn't the last of the celebration, I've got more planned."

"But . . . I thought we weren't doing anything for our anniversary?" said Darrin with a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah, well. I decided we needed a little celebration. Nothing big, just some alone time with just you and I. I've already sent Josh off on errands."

Darrin laughed. "Thank god! I'm sure he would have heard us just now."

Mitch nodded and chuckled in agreement. Standing up, he grabbed the blankets and pulled them off Darrin. "Come on! You're burn'n daylight!" said Mitch with a chuckle.

Darrin grumbled as he crawled out of their bed and followed Mitch into the bathroom. Soon they were in the shower together, relaxing under the spray. Mitch was feeling very boisterous and began singing one of the latest country hits, at the top of his voice, and off key. Darrin was soon laughing hysterically and cheered Mitch's final note.

Soon they had finished in the shower, were dressed and ready to begin the list of events that Mitch had planned, which started with stopping for pie at the café and getting hardy congratulations from Nina.

<><><><>

Darrin watched as Mitch loaded the ATV with a picnic basket. He was actually somewhat impressed that it was really a picnic basket like he'd seen on television, not the normal plastic cooler they usually had. He wasn't sure what Mitch had planned, but he saw towels and a blanket, so he was certain it wasn't going to be a short event.

Once everything was stored to Mitch's satisfaction, they crawled onto the quad and Mitch took off with a shout and infectious laugh. Darrin was content to ride behind, with his arms wrapped around Mitch's waist. Soon Darrin realized they were going back to where they proposed to each other the year before. Mitch pulled up to the sandstone outcropping and dismounted from the 4-wheeler, pulling Darrin beside him. They stood arm in arm and watched the sun work its way across the azure afternoon sky, both wrapped in their memories of this spot.

"Any regrets?" asked Darrin quietly.

"Nope! Not a fuck'n one. How about you?" said Mitch.

"Nope, me neither," Darrin said and then turned with a smile and kissed Mitch, "Not a fuck'n one."

"Well this isn't where we're having our picnic. I just thought we should visit this place on our anniversary."

"I agree, babe," said Darrin.

When they turned to get back on the ATV, Mitch felt Darrin stiffen in his arms. "What's wrong, babe?" asked Mitch.

"Ah, you're going to make fun of me," said Darrin with a smile.

"Probably, but that's never stopped you before," replied Mitch with a grin.

"Well, see those," Darrin said pointing to a small cluster of flowers.

"Yeah . . ." said Mitch, "They're Blanket Flowers, what about 'em?"

"Well, there aren't any others in sight . . ."

"Nope, I don't see any," said Mitch, wondering where this was going.

"Well—"

"Oh for god's sake! Spit it out!" said Mitch with a roll of his eyes.

"Ok, well that's where we . . . unloaded. In that exact spot, and now there are flowers growing there, with no others like them in sight," explained Darrin in a rush of words.

"Babe, you're losing it. How could you possibly remember where exactly we jizzed, a year later."

"I'm telling you those flowers are where we shot. Planted our seed, so to speak."

Mitch moaned, rolled his eyes and remounted the quad. He listened to Darrin's explanation for the rest of the trip, with his responses mostly confined to grunts. While he didn't really think Darrin knew where they had ejaculated, Mitch did think it was fun that there were flowers on 'their' hill. As they moved next to the creek, Mitch pulled into the small grove of trees where he and Josh had gone fishing.

"What'd you think?" asked Mitch.

"For the picnic?"

"Yeah."

"I think it's fan-fucking-tastic," said Darrin with a laugh.

"I think you've been hanging around college kids too long," said Mitch with a chuckle.

Mitch climbed off the ATV and started setting up their picnic. Unfurling the blanket, he made short work of setting out the food. He soon had a meal arranged that was more reminiscent of a day in Central Park than an evening on the Oklahoma plains. Darrin had to smile when Mitch struggled to open the bottle of red wine that he had brought. Lifting himself off the 4-wheeler, Darrin walked over and rescued the bottle from Mitch before he threw it into the creek. He gently worked the cork out with a satisfying pop and then sat down on the blanket. As he looked at the meal, Darrin started laughing. While most people would expect caviar and cheese with their wine, Mitch had filled the basket with all of Darrin's favorites, including fried baloney sandwiches and deviled eggs. Reaching over, he pulled Mitch to him and kissed him gently.

"This looks great, babe. All my favorites!" said Darrin.

"Good! I'm starving, so lets eat!" said Mitch with a grin.

Mitch filled a plate for Darrin and passed it to him. After filling his own plate, he settled in to enjoy the meal. They ate slowly, enjoying the slowly setting sun almost as much as the company. As they polished the last of the meal from their plates, Mitch pulled out a container and popped the lid. The aroma of chocolate drifted through the air, and Darrin suddenly had room for one more thing.

"Are those what I think they are?" asked Darrin.

"They're double chocolate fudge pecan brownies from the café. Is that what you were thinking?" asked Mitch with a chuckle.

"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" said Darrin with sophomoric humor.

Mitch handed him the huge brownie and chuckled as Darrin moaned when he bit into it.

"Damn, these're good," said Darrin around a full mouth.

Mitch slowly ate his, laughing as Darrin begged for part of Mitch's brownie after he licked his fingers clean from inhaling his own brownie. Relenting, Mitch broke what remained of his brownie in half and shared with Darrin. He laughed at his husband when Darrin lay across his lap and sighed.

"Damn, I'm so full! I'm full as a tick!" said Darrin with a chuckle.

"My, isn't Mr. Professor full of homespun sayings tonight," said Mitch.

"Damn straight," said Darrin with a grin, "It's my anniversary and my husband packed us a wonderful picnic."

"Yup, I sure did," said Mitch as he caressed Darrin's face, "But I'm hot, and that water looks inviting."

Darrin rolled on his side and stared at the slowly running water with a groan. "Man, I think you're just trying to collect the life insurance when I sink to the bottom."

Mitch chuckled at Darrin's antics and sighed softly.

"What's up, babe?" asked Darrin.

"You know we still haven't done all the legal paperwork for ourselves."

Darrin inhaled deeply and then released it slowly, "I know, and I promise we will. But let's not talk about how to setup power of attorney and all that other shit today."

Mitch nodded and a smile slowly crept across his face. "Yeah, you're right. We'll take care of it. Before classes start, deal?"

"Yes, deal. And isn't it my job to worry? What's go'n on?" said Darrin.

"You're wearing off on me," said Mitch with a chuckle, "Now come on, let's get in that water."

Mitch pushed Darrin out of his lap, and into a comical roll that had Darrin looking back at him with a dramatically sad look on his face. He lay in place and watched as Mitch stripped, enjoying the view of his bare hairy ass as he walked into the creek. Darrin quickly followed suit and waded in behind him.

The pair relaxed in the water, floating on their backs as the sun turned the world around them a brilliant crimson. Darrin was floating in the cool water, his eyes closed as he recalled all the good things in his life. Opening to the sound of a nearby splash, he watched as Mitch dove and played in the water. At one point Mitch was underwater for what seemed to be a long time to Darrin, but he surfaced with a gasp with the explanation that he'd got a foot caught in a snag for a few seconds.

Suddenly Mitch pulled Darrin under, water going up his nose as he flailed the water. When he broke the surface, he saw Mitch standing in shallower water, laughing uproariously.

"You asshole! I almost drowned!" screamed Darrin.

"You so did not almost drown. But it was fuck'n funny," said Mitch with a big grin on his face.

"Fucker! I'm gonna get you!" yelled Darrin.

Darrin launched himself at Mitch and soon the two were having a riot playing. The years melted away as they played with the exuberance of 12 year olds. As the light began fading to dusk, they dragged themselves out of the water and flopped onto the blanket. Breathing hard from their play, Darrin propped his head on Mitch's stomach.

"That was fun. This has been an amazing day, thank you," said Darrin softly.

Mitch turned his head to look at Darrin and smiled. "Good, I'm glad you enjoyed it. You're too serious sometimes."

"I know, I'm a worry wart. You tell me all the time," said Darrin with a chuckle.

"Yeah, you are. But you're an incredibility sexy worry wart, so it all works out," said Mitch as he ran his fingers down Darrin's arm.

Darrin rolled onto his hands and knees and moved between Mitch's legs, spreading them wide. Without a word, he leaned down and sucked the head of Mitch's soft cock into his mouth and started nursing it. Mitch sighed, his eyes drifting shut as the wonderful sensations began pulsing through his body. Lightly resting his hands on Darrin's head, he slowly thrust into his hot mouth. With only a few strokes, his cock was rock hard and the gentle warmth of need had become a roaring fire. He felt Darrin drill his tongue into his slit for a several delightful minutes before pulling him up. Staring into Darrin's eyes, Mitch kissed him hard, getting the faint taste of his precum from the kiss.

"I want your ass. I want to pound your ass," said Mitch with a voice filled with lust.

"Oh god, yes, please."

Mitch reached back into the basket and pulled out a small bottle of lube with a smile. Squirting it over himself, he slowly stroked his cock as he watched Darrin smear the lube over his ass. Soon Darrin was poised over him, heartbeats away from what he wanted. Then, with a sigh, Darrin let himself drop quickly, pressing downward without a pause until he felt his ass grind against Mitch's pubes. Resting for a few moments, he started gyrating his ass, feeling Mitch's thick cock scrape along his gut, creating an amazing feeling that coursed through his body.

Soon Darrin was riding Mitch with wild abandon. The thick column of flesh was again driving him wild with lust. But as he headed toward his climax, Darrin felt Mitch grip his hips, stopping him in mid thrust.

"Ah, ah! Let me go! Fuck, so close," gasped out Darrin.

"I want to fuck you hard," said Mitch with a growl, "Stand up."

Darrin scrambled to comply and soon found himself braced against the 4-wheeler as Mitch entered him with a hard shove. Darrin pressed his ass back as Mitch took what he wanted. The hard, fast rhythm was driving Darrin over the edge as their lovemaking reached a fever pitch. With a primal moan, Mitch pinned Darrin against him as his orgasm began. The splash of scalding cum in his gut was the final push for Darrin too. His cock began ribboning across the ground under him as their orgasms raced to completion. With a final shudder, the last cum dripped from Darrin's cock and landed in the pool that had formed on the ground. Darrin could again feel his racing heart and labored breath as Mitch's climax rolled to an end. With a final abortive thrust, Mitch gave Darrin the last of his seed. He collapsed across Darrin as his exhausted body struggled for recovery. As he slowly recouped, he turned his head and planted a gentle kiss on Darrin's neck.

"That was amazing, babe," said Mitch.

"Oh, hell yes. I don't think I'll be able to walk right for a week though," said Darrin with a smile.

"Whatda ya say to another little swim, to clean up?" asked Mitch.

"Good plan," said Darrin. Pushing off, Mitch's soft cock slipped out of Darrin and some of his load followed, adding itself to the pool already on the ground. They slowly made their way to the water in the now dim light and eased into its depths.

Mitch gave Darrin a soft kiss as they enjoyed themselves. "Babe?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you realize what just happened?" asked Mitch.

"You mean other than you pleasuring me in an outstanding manner?" said Darrin with a chuckle.

"Yeah, beside that," said Mitch with a laugh, then continued with a serious tone, "You didn't have a flash back."

Darrin hesitated for a second, letting the information sink in. "You're right. I was just thinking about us, and how much I love you."

Darrin pulled Mitch to him and kissed him again. "Apparently the love of a good man is the cure for all my troubles."

Mitch laughed and pulled Darrin tight against him. "That's good to hear, babe. Very good to hear."

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"Remind me again why we are up at the butt crack of dawn," said Darrin.

"Because Doug is working his calves today and needs some help," replied Mitch.

"It's so fuck'n early the cows won't even be up," complained Darrin.

Mitch smiled at Darrin's bellyaching, but kept silent. When he walked out of the room to get his boots, Darrin was still grumbling about the early time. Personally, Mitch would just as soon start early and miss some of the Oklahoma heat. As he was pulling on his boots, Darrin stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed a pop from the refrigerator to get some much-needed caffeine in his system. After a few gulping swallows, he staggered over to Mitch.

"You look like you have a hangover," said Mitch as he chuckled.

Darrin laughed softly and gave Mitch a small grin, "No, I don't have a headache or feel like puking. I'll wake up before we get there."

Darrin paused for a minute and gave Mitch a serious look, "Mitch, what about Doug's mother. We didn't exactly part on good terms last time."

"Doug asked us for help, so I'm hoping she either won't be there, or that she has somehow changed."

Darrin shrugged as he sat down to pull on his boots. "Ok, well so long as Doug asked us." He paused for a minute as a thought came to him and turned to Mitch, "Hey, Doug doesn't have Brahmans does he?"

"No, he has Beefmaster," said Mitch with a smile, "Bang on Josh's door why don't ya. We need to get going."

A few minutes later they had all piled into the pickup and were on their way to the neighbors. Josh was in the back seat, already asleep during the short ride, and Darrin was looking out the window at the grey pre-dawn landscape.

They pulled up to the corral, along with several other trucks, and looked at the pens of cattle. They sat in the pickup for a few moments and watched the herd of cattle mill in front of them. After a particularly large bull walked the fence in front of them, Darrin turned to Mitch.

"Let me guess. Beefmaster are part Brahman too . . ." said Darrin with a frown.

"Maybe . . ." replied Mitch with a grin.

"Asshole."

Mitch chuckled and reached back and woke Josh. Climbing out of the pickup, they walked over and listened to the plans for the day. Soon they were spread out as the crew began working cattle. Darrin was operating one of the head gates and was getting better at using the mechanism, after he let the first calf escape through the gate – to his chagrin and the entertainment of everyone around him. He noticed when they were castrating calves that the testicles were carefully being tossed into an iced container. Darrin was curious why, and finally asked one of the people he was working with.

"Levi, what are you doing with the calf nuts?"

"Oh, that's dinner! Calf fries," said Levi.

Darrin turned a little green, but managed to keep down his breakfast. He firmly decided that whenever supper came, he wasn't hungry. Settling back into their work, they steadily processed calf after calf. Darrin's stomach was starting to grumble when he heard a triangle ring. Looking around, he followed the rest of his crew to find himself in line for lunch. As he walked up, he saw that Doug's mother was passing out the sandwiches, and her lips tightened slightly as she handed Darrin his lunch, but she said nothing. He scanned the groups until he saw Mitch and Josh and walked over to join them. Settling down, he took a bite of his sandwich and smiled, egg salad was another old favorite. Washing down the sandwich with an ice-cold pop, he turned to the other two.

"Do you have any idea what they are feeding us for supper?" asked Darrin.

"Calf fries," came the simultaneous reply.

"And you're ok with this?"

"Yeah, they're good," said Josh.

Mitch nodded his agreement as he took another bite of sandwich.

"Barbarians, I'm surrounded by barbarians," said Darrin in mock disgust.

They soon finished their lunch and were back at work. Darrin helped out in several locations in the afternoon, but he was glad they finished before the heat became unbearable. He and Mitch were loading into their pickup when they saw Doug walking over.

"You guys are coming to the calf fry aren't ya?" asked Doug, "We're at the lake so we can go swimming and cool off."

Mitch nodded, "Yeah, we're coming. Should be there in about an hour, unless you don't want us to have suits."

Doug laughed and slapped Mitch on the shoulder as Josh walked up. Turning to look at Josh, he was still chuckling, "These two are such cards, can you imagine swimming without a suit? Lordie, just cracks me up."

Josh smiled weakly, since he and Zach had been skinny dipping several times and wondered what everyone would think if they knew. But Josh climbed into the pickup and rode silently back to their house.

Shortly before the appointed time, they were pulling through the gate to the local lake. Mitch thought 'lake' was a generous description. But it was wet and cool, both great things today. They helped setup for the get-together, which didn't take long with everyone pitching in, and then headed for the water. Soon almost everyone was swimming or just soaking in water. Darrin and Mitch watched from the side at the roughhousing, which included Josh. Darrin and Mitch enjoyed the spectacle, but had no interest in joining in. The sun and water were starting to relax them when they heard someone yell.

"Hey! Where's Doug?"

There was an immediate swarm of activity to find him as Mitch and Darrin hurried closer. Mitch spotted a tell-tail stump barely visible above the waterline and remembered his incident with the snag. He immediately dove and started feeling for Doug in the murky water. A few others realized what he was doing and rushed to help. As he was running out of air on his third dive, Mitch felt fabric slide across his fingertips. Kicking up to the surface, he inhaled quickly and then shouted.

"Here! I found him!"

And with that he did a quick dive and found Doug again. Grabbing an arm, he tugged several times, to no avail. Knowing he was running out of time, Mitch ran his hands along Doug and realized his trunks were tangled in the branches. He yanked on them, and felt them rip slightly. With another powerful tug, Doug floated free. Mitch grabbed his arm and pulled him to the surface. As their heads broke the surface, people surrounded them to help. Doug was on the beach in short order, but he had not started breathing. Mitch was beginning to panic, hoping someone knew how to do CPR, when he looked up to see Darrin charging through the crowd with a look of determination on his face. He quickly took control, to everyone's relief.

Mitch watched Darrin go through the CPR steps with quick, quiet efficiency. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion for Mitch, but in a handful of seconds, Doug started to cough. Darrin rolled him to his side as he coughed out the water and waited quietly for his breathing to return to normal. By the time the sheriff and ambulance arrived, Doug was sitting up and breathing in ragged gasps. Darrin moved back as the EMT took over, giving Doug oxygen and checking for signs of anything more serious. Realizing what he had done, Darrin moved away from the crowd and sat down, trying to collect himself. When he felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked up to see Mitch beaming at him.

"And, that's why I love you," said Mitch softly.

Darrin shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know what came over me. I just took over."

"Darn good thing you did too." They heard from their side and glanced up to see Sheriff White Cloud coming to them.

"Is Doug ok?" asked Darrin.

"He's fine. Thanks to you," said the sheriff.

"Oh thank god," said Darrin with relief.

"I keep telling everybody, two-spirits are a good thing. And you boys keep proving me right," said Sheriff White Cloud with a chuckle. "Now if you don't mind a few questions, I can wrap this up."

Mitch helped Darrin up, and they told the sheriff everything they could remember about the accident. As they were wrapping up, Darrin looked over to see Doug's mother stalking toward them. Mitch and Darrin watched in silent trepidation as she covered the space between them and stopped. Looking at each of them and meeting their eyes, tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"You saved my boy, and I treated you both so horribly. The EMT said another minute and he would have died. Oh god, I can't tell you how thankful I am for the two of you," she said while Darrin and Mitch stared at her with open mouths. They stood in shock as she gave each of them a kiss and then wrapped her arms around them both and held them tight for several minutes. Finally releasing them, the tears had slowed but she wasn't finished.

"I'm so glad you boys are here. I think Josh can learn a lot from you. If you boys ever need anything, anything, you just let Ann know." She chuckled a little, "I'm Ann."

Mitch nodded as Darrin tried several times to speak. Finally starting he said, "Ann, Doug is a good person. We like him. We're both really glad he's going to be ok."

She squeezed them both again and then walked back to where the EMT was wrapping up things with her son. The pair turned back to the sheriff with stunned looks on their faces. Jim laughed softly at their perplexed looks.

"Boys, I do believe Mizz Parker has had a come to Jesus meeting," said the sheriff with a smile.

"But people don't change their minds that fast, they just don't," stammered Darrin.

"You saved her son, after she tried to run you off. She's a smart lady, she connected the dots real quick."

"Damn . . ." said Mitch softly.

Sheriff White Cloud chuckled, "I still wouldn't cuss around her. She's a tough woman and she doesn't hold with cuss'n."

"Ok, good to know," said Mitch almost in a whisper.

They talked quietly for a few more minutes before the sheriff left. Soon the ambulance was also gone and things had settled back to something approaching normal. They saw Doug sitting with his mother hovering over him and walked over to see how he was. Looking up as they walked closer, Doug smiled at them.

"My saviors. Man, I'm glad you guys were here."

"We're just glad you're ok, Doug. You feeling alright?" Darrin asked.

"All things considered, I feel great. They said to take it easy for a few days, and they told that to my mother. So I doubt I'll be doing anything for awhile."

They talked with Doug for a little while longer, and then left him to find Josh. After a few minutes, they found him helping cook supper. Knowing he would be busy for quite some time, they wandered back to their chairs, sat down and sipped their beers as they quietly talked about the day. The next thing they knew, Ann appeared with plates piled high with food.

Accepting the food with good-natured smiles, they dug into the meal, discovering, to their surprise, that they were starved. Darrin particularly enjoyed the small pieces of chicken fried steak that she had piled on their plates. Almost the second they finished, she was back with more, this time the plates were filled with desserts. Both ate until they were about to burst and then leaned back groaning. Josh walked up, eating the last morsels from his plate. He saw the empty plates and looked back at Darrin with a smile.

"So, whatcha think of the calf fries?"

"I didn't have any. I told you I wouldn't eat em."

Mitch leaned forward with a crazy grin, "Babe, those little pieces of chicken fry that you had about 20 of, those were calf fries."

"Oh god!" Darrin said and grabbed his mouth as his meal churned in his stomach and the other two laughed until they were gasping for air.

<><><><>

Darrin and Mitch ambled out of their room, to find breakfast on the table and Josh sitting on the counter smiling. They looked at each other and shrugged as they looked over the meal. Josh had made every possible combination of food that either of them might want, in quantities capable of feeding a high school football team. Darrin finally turned to Josh with a stifled yawn.

"What's going on, Josh?"

"Happy Fathers Day!" shouted Josh.

"Holy crap," muttered Mitch.

"Come on, sit down," said Josh with a huge grin plastered across his face.

Darrin and Mitch drifted to their chairs and as soon as they sat down, Josh started filling their plates. He had made all their favorites, and once they got started it was an amazing meal. As their stomachs started complaining about the quantity of food, they slowed, and finally stopped.

"Sorry Josh. But I can't eat another bite," said Darrin with a moan.

"Me too," said Mitch, "I'm stuffed."

"It's ok. I knew there would be leftovers. I just wanted to make it a really great meal," replied Josh.

"Well it was fantastic," said Darrin, "Thanks for the father's day present."

"Oh, no. This wasn't the present," said Josh.

He quickly ran into his room, returning with two small boxes. Handing one to each of them, he stood smiling and motioned for them to open the gifts. Both men slowly opened the packages to find hand beaded key chains, one for each of them. They looked at them carefully, marveling at the detail and craftsmanship. Finally Mitch looked over at Josh.

"These were too expensive. You needed to save your money for books for college."

"Oh no, I made these. The sheriff's grandmother helped me. She's one of the best in the country," explained Josh.

Josh waited while they looked over the gifts. Then, almost ready to explode, he began.

"See the two thunderbirds? That's you two. Sheriff White Cloud said there's no symbol for two-spirit, so we decided that two thunderbirds would be good." Josh chuckled a little and smiled at Mitch, "I thought about using two penis', but the sheriff said he didn't think that would be a good idea."

Darrin groaned at the idea of carrying around a keychain that had cocks on it. He looked over at Mitch who was chuckling softly.

"That's your fault. You have been a very bad influence on this boy," scolded Darrin.

Of course, that only served to send the two of them into giggling fits until Darrin finally threw up his hands in defeat. Turning back to examine his gift, he began turning the round piece of beadwork between his fingers, marveling at the amount of work that Josh put into the two gifts. He reached up and grabbed Josh's shoulder and squeezed it.

"Thanks, Josh. These are wonderful. You put in a lot of work and we love them."

"Yeah, they really are Josh," said Mitch in agreement.

"Well, enjoy your day. Tonight I'm cooking supper, and I'll take care of everything," said Josh.

Darrin and Mitch looked at each other, and shrugged. Josh's cooking couldn't be any worse than Mitch's, and they had survived it. With a chuckle and a nod, they committed themselves to Josh's cooking for dinner.

<><><><>

Josh was pacing and anxious, and it was starting to wear off on Mitch. Finally, when Josh had accidentally kicked his foot for the fifth time, Mitch spoke up.

"Sit down, Josh. Or I'm going to get a rope from the barn and tie you up," said Mitch, only half kidding.

Josh flopped bonelessly on the couch and looked at Mitch. "When's he going to get here? Zach is never late! He gets us to the movie before they even start the previews."

"It'll be fine. He has a cell phone if something happens," said Darrin as he tried to calm Josh down. But another 15 minutes passed without Zach showing up and Josh was becoming frantic. Heading for the door to search for Zach, he stopped at the doorway when he saw the little silver Prius pulling into the driveway. With a sigh of relief from everyone, Josh ran to the car.

Zach was out just as quick and they grabbed each other in a tight embrace. Josh planted a kiss on Zach's forehead and held him tight.

"I was getting worried. You said you'd be here hours ago," said Josh.

"I know, I know. I had a flat, and it took forever to get it someone out to change it," said Zach with a sigh.

Josh started laughing, "You don't know how to change your own flat?"

"No, it's not easy with this dinky car," said Zach, looking a little affronted,

Josh realized he was upsetting Zach and stopped his questioning. With one last squeeze, he turned and walked Zach to the house with one arm draped over his shoulders. As they rounded the corner into the living room, Mitch and Darrin looked up and smiled. After a few minutes of small talk between the four of them, Darrin nudged Mitch with his elbow.

"You ready to go?" asked Darrin.

"Yeah, I'm ready," said Mitch.

"Where are you going?" asked Josh.

"We thought we'd try the new rib joint in Lawton. Maybe catch a movie later. It'll probably be late when we get back," explained Darrin.

With a poorly concealed look of joy, Josh acknowledged the information. "Ok, well have a great time. I think we'll just chillax around here."

"Chillax?" questioned Mitch.

"Yeah, you know. Chill out and relax, chillax," explained Josh.

"Oh god, I suddenly feel old," said Mitch.

The two older men left to get ready and were soon getting into the pickup. They saw two silhouettes standing at the window as they left. As they pulled out of the driveway, Darrin settled back against the seat.

"Is there really a new rib joint?" asked Mitch.

"No fuck'n idea. But now we have an evening to kill," said Darrin with a chuckle.

"Very nice of us if you asked me."

Josh and Zach watched out the window until the taillights of the pickup disappeared. Josh let the curtain drop and took Zach in his arms. Pulling him tight against him, he kissed the smaller man gently.

"I missed you," said Josh gently.

"I missed you too," said Zach, already breathing hard from their contact.

"I thought we might do something a little different tonight . . ." said Josh with a smile.

Zach grinned broadly. "And what did you have in mind? Something to do with my ass I hope."

Josh chuckled, "More like something to do with my ass. I thought you might like to top me tonight."

"Oh. Ok. But you know I haven't done that before. I'm not sure how it'll go, Josh," said Zach as he bit on his lip.

"It'll be amazing. Come on," said Josh as he wrapped his arms around Zach. Slowly they made their way to the bedroom with Josh kissing him gently and stroking his body as they went. Once they made their way to the room, Josh pulled the smaller boy with him as they fell into the bed. Their lips pressed hard together as they frantically tried to make up for their time apart. Josh ran his tongue up Zach's face, tasting cologne and boy as he did. Zach chuckled and wiped off the wet stripe with his hand, then started tugging Josh's shirt over his head. Diving in, he nursed first on one nipple and then the other, noticing a few short hairs had begun growing between Josh's pecs. Panting with building desire, Zach looked up at Josh and smiled.

"Maybe I do want to fuck you. Maybe I want to fuck your tight hole hard," said Zach in a hormone-laced voice.

To Zach's shock, Josh jumped off the bed and frantically stripped, quickly throwing clothes off and then climbed onto the bed and positioned himself on his hands and knees. Panting slightly, he looked at Zach.

"Oh hell yes," said Josh with a moan, "Get me ready, Zach."

Remembering how Josh had prepared him, Zach leaned in to Josh's exposed pucker. Moving cautiously and with much hesitancy, he slid in close to Josh's butt and inhaled. But in spite of his misgivings, all he experienced was the light smell of Josh's body wash. Steeling himself for a task he felt obligated to do, he gently dripped his tongue into the exposed folds of Josh's ass.

"Oh shit!" yelled Josh, "Fuck! That's feels fuck'n amazing! More, do more," begged Josh.

Zach slowly traced his tongue around the tight hole under his lips, amazed at Josh's response. His rimming slowly became more enthusiastic as his own sexual frenzy built. Soon he was prying Josh's ass open and wriggling his tongue over Josh's loosening hole. Josh was panting and pressing his hips back toward the pleasure Zach was giving him. Moaning louder with each passing moment, Josh was soon ready for more.

"Fuck me, Zach! God I need it."

Zach hesitated a second before grabbing the lube from Josh's dresser. He snapped open the bottle and held it above Josh's crack, letting the viscous liquid slowly drip into his crack. Josh sighed as the cool gel slowly traced its way down his crack. Its incrementally slow travel was driving Josh mad with desire. Each millimeter of skin it moved across added to his euphoric state. When it finally reached his convulsing hole, Josh's body was awash with pulsing signals of pleasure.

"Oh god, Zach. Fuck me already, fuck."

Zach smiled that his big, country boyfriend was reduced to begging him for release. Zach squeezed more lube over his fingers and then reached forward and rubbed them over Josh's ass. He pressed his slick middle finger against Josh's hole and rubbed it slowly, teasing Josh. Josh's escalating movements mesmerized Zach as he ratcheted up Josh's level of lust. Finally Josh screamed in frustration.

"Oh damn it! Put it in me!"

Zach almost giggled and then slowly pressed his finger inside. The tight heat made Zach need more and soon he had two slender fingers pushing in and out of Josh's ass. Josh was gasping for air, begging for more as he kept trying to ram himself back on Zach's fingers. Zach paused, letting his digits be expelled. Josh let out a huge sigh of disappointment and looked back.

"Come on, man! Stop teasing! Damn, you have me so amped!"

"Hang on! I'm just needing a little more go juice," said Zach with a chuckle.

Coating his hand with lube, Zach brought three fingers to bear against Josh's hole and they slid in slowly. Air hissed from between Josh's teeth as the sharp pain of penetration shot through him. But Zach paused, caressing his ass until the pain dulled, then gently working in further. Slowly, ever so slowly, Zach opened Josh tenderly so he could enjoy what was coming next. Eventually Josh had stretched to accommodate the intrusion, and was experiencing only pleasure again. The room was drowning in the sounds of passionate lovemaking as the pair experienced this new part of their relationship. Zach could see strings of precum spinning from Josh's cock, and knew he was ready.

Zach's fingers slipped out and he grabbed a condom from the stash beside Josh's bed. Looking at the wrapper he had a moment of anxiety when he realized they were magnum size.

"Josh, these are too big for me. They'll fall off!" said Zach with a little panic in his voice.

Josh waved to the bathroom and made incomprehensible noises. Zach cocked his eyebrow at his sex-inebriated boyfriend, and them walked quickly into the bathroom. On the sink was a line of condoms, normal sized condoms.

With a sigh of relief, Zach grabbed a couple and moved back to the bed. Ripping one open, he unrolled it down his cock, this time not having difficulty. He paused for a second, then put on a second rubber, hoping he would last longer. Once it was double coated, Zach generously covered his pecker with lube. He lay on the bed beside Josh, reaching up to gently rub Josh's nipple.

"Sit on it Josh, like you had me do. It does make it easier the first time," instructed Zach.

Josh nodded and moved over Zach, his body shaking with his need. He felt Zach's hand slide between them and guide his cock to Josh's hole. Josh felt Zach's rock hard cock kiss his ass and slowly pushed down. He braced for the pain that never materialized as he steadily took more and more of his boyfriend into his gut. As Josh felt the delicious feeling of Zach's cock sliding over his prostate, he experienced the wonderful texture of Zach's pubic hair caressing his ass. Josh pressed himself down, feeling only amazing pleasure as he slowly started rotating his hips, causing electrical charges to course through his body. This was so much better than anything Tony was ever able to do. Zach certainly wasn't hung, but he wanted Josh to enjoy it, that was the difference.

"Oh fuck, Zach. You feel so amazing! Damn! I can't believe how good this is," said Josh in a soft moan.

Zach ran his hands over Josh's torso, tweaking his nipples as he began pumping up and down on Zach's cock. Josh was overwhelmed with the sensations coming from his ass, never wanting it to stop. Soon Josh was pounding himself on Zach's cock, ramming across his prostate with each thrust. He soon felt that familiar feeling deep inside him, only much stronger than ever before. Then a tsunami wave of desire hit him and with a guttural scream, Josh buried Zach's cock inside his gut and his cock began shooting. The jets of cum sprayed them as his orgasm overtook him. Cum erupted again and again from his trembling body. But eventually even Josh's substantial stores of semen were expended. With a final sigh of pleasure, he collapsed on top of Zach, pinning him.

"Hey! Trapped boyfriend!" said Zach with a squeal.

Josh laughed and lifted himself up, still gasping for air. "Sorry, babe. But damn that was good, it took everything out of me."

"Well . . ." said Zach as he thrust his throbbing cock inside Josh.

Josh chuckled and kissed him. Lifting his body off Zach, he lay on the bed face down and wiggled his ass at Zach. "Come on, babe. Fuck my ass, be my top."

Zach looked at Josh for a heartbeat, and then lust won over and he moved between Josh's legs. Knowing there was no reason to hesitate, he rammed his cock into Josh and started pounding his ass. Soon the room was reverberating with the sounds of heavy breathing, and the slapping sound of hard sex. The double condom gave Zach a level of control he'd never had before, and he used it as he screwed Josh. Josh's moans and cries of delight had reached a fever pitch by the time Zach felt his climax building. Redoubling his efforts, Zach was slamming into Josh, his body tied in knots as he went over the edge.

"Uh! Uh! Uuuhh! Fuck!" screamed Zach as he released his torrent into the condoms. His entire body convulsed as his cream poured out. His eyes rolled back as the natural ecstasy over came Zach's body. As the final wave crested and began to recede, his cock slithered out of Josh's well fucked orifice.

Josh immediately flipped to his back, grabbed his again hard cock and stroked it furiously. Zach smiled and rubbed his fingers across Josh's perineum, spurring him onward. With a few last panted breaths, Josh crested again as cum oozed from his cock. The grunts of pleasure echoed in the small room as Josh came again. With a final flick of his hand, the glob flew off and hit the floor, causing Josh to chuckle softly, only dimly aware that Zach had eased himself off the bed.

"At some point, I'll have to clean that up," said Josh with a satisfied groan.

"I got it," said Zach as he came back from the bathroom. He cleaned Josh carefully, and then scrubbed the spot from the carpet while Josh watched with a smile. Finishing in the bathroom, he crawled back into bed with Josh and kissed him softly.

"Thank you, babe. That was amazing. Fucking you was, mind blowing!" said Zach as his eyes glazed over.

"It was amazing, wonderful, stupendous, and any other positive adjective you want to use," said Josh with a chuckle.

Josh pulled Zach close to him to rest for just a second before getting dressed, but shortly they were sound asleep.

<><><><>

Darrin pulled the door shut quietly and then shook his head. "I know they're having sex, but I don't need to see the evidence every time. You should talk to him about closing his door."

"Me? When did Josh become mine?" asked Mitch.

Darrin chuckled, "When you became his daddy."

"Ick, ick, no, no. Don't use daddy, please. Father, father is ok. But not daddy. I'm most definitely not Josh's daddy," said Mitch as he went off on a rant. "I don't even want to be your daddy! No. Ick."

He ran down the hallway to catch his retreating husband, who was laughing hysterically.

<><><><>

Darrin pulled up to their house after a long day of dealing with students and faculty. For one of the few times since they had moved here, the house did not look inviting. Mitch had been in a progressively fouler mood lately, but didn't want to talk to Darrin about it. Sighing to himself, he gathered up his bag and walked in the house with no small amount of apprehension. Darrin dropped his stuff in the kitchen and rounded the corner to see Mitch sitting on the couch glaring at him.

"Where have you been? You're late!" said Mitch.

Darrin looked at him and raised his eyebrows. "I'm only about 30 minutes late, Mitch. Emma wanted to talk about the grant."

Darrin walked over and set opposite his husband and looked at him.

"So, what's crawled up your ass? I know you aren't really upset about me being home 30 minutes late," said Darrin.

"What the fuck! Now you can read my goddamn mind. The fuck'n college professor can read the dumb ole redneck. Damn, ain't that fuck'n fantastic."

Darrin reached out and gently put his hand on Mitch's knee. "Babe, what is it. This isn't like you."

Mitch glared at him for a few minutes, then went to the kitchen and came back with a beer. He sat down across from Darrin, his leg bouncing in nervous agitation as Darrin quietly waited for him to respond. The tableau stretched on for several long minutes while Mitch drained the bottle. Banging the empty on the table, Mitch moved to stand in the window, looking over their ranch. Darrin moved behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Still in silence, he leaned in and gave Mitch a soft kiss on the cheek. With a sigh, Mitch finally relaxed in his arms.

"Damn, this is so stupid," said Mitch quietly.

"What's stupid, babe?"

"This is going to sound like some bored housewife. I do not want to sound like that."

"Ok, I'm sure it won't," said Darrin.

Mitch chuckled, "Oh? You think so? Well here ya go then, I'm bored. I don't feel like there is much going on here and you and Josh are out doing things. And it's pissing me off. So there," said Mitch as he turned to Darrin.

"Ok, well maybe a little like a bored housewife," said Darrin with a chuckle. "But mostly like someone who isn't dealing as well with a bunch of changes."

"Fine, be all rational about it," said Mitch with a smile.

Darrin laughed, "Oh yeah, I'm so rational. But I do have an idea to get both of us to relax."

"What's that, babe?" asked Mitch.

"Lets go riding for a little while. We haven't done that since your accident."

Mitch paused for a few moments and then nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like a good plan. You get changed and I'll saddle the horses."

Darrin gave him a peck on the cheek and headed toward the bedroom. In short order Darrin arrived at the corral to find Mitch mounted on Storm and holding Lady. He held Lady's reins while Darrin clambered into the saddle. They entered one of the pastures at a slow walk, moving into a canter as the horses loosened up. Darrin looked over and saw a smile of the like that he hadn't seen on Mitch for several weeks, if not months. With a whoop, Mitch leaned forward and Storm responded with a jump that ended in full gallop. Darrin couldn't help but laugh when Mitch yanked his cowboy hat off and was yelling at full volume while swinging it. The scene reminded Darrin of how a 12 year old might ride, which was exactly the kind of attitude that helped make Mitch so attractive to him.

The outing lasted for several hours, freeing the guys from their worries, at least for a little while. After a time, both they and the horses were beginning to tire and they headed back to the house. The conversation was relaxed and Darrin was glad to see Mitch laughing again. He vowed to himself that they were going to do this more often so they could reconnect. With a last short race, they topped the hill to the house, and Mitch slid Storm to a stop. Looking toward the house, Darrin saw an older barrel-shape man with grey hair standing in the yard talking with Josh.

When he turned to Mitch, he saw the muscles in his jaw knotting. Mitch was beyond tense, and Darrin wasn't sure what was happening.

"Mitch, who is that? Do you know him?" asked Darrin.

"His name is Steve. Yeah, I know him," replied Mitch through tightly clenched teeth.

"Who is he?"

"My ex. . ."