Parts 3 & 4
DeAnna Zankich
Sequel is | Dirty Laundry
Summary: As their intimacy grows, Stuart and Vince progress toward the "big step" of moving in together. Growing pains and fantastic discoveries abound.
Warnings: None
Author Notes:
Vince:
In the garden center at B&Q, Vince inspected a row of pine trees that were on display. Stuart had wandered off down another
row and Vince could hear him speaking to a sales associate about the way the trees were priced. Stuart had never purchased a
Christmas tree on his own and he wasn't sure how it all worked.
Vince ran his hand over the branch of a particularly fine looking tree, testing its freshness. None of the needles came off in his
grasp and they felt well hydrated and plump. He brought that hand to his nose and smelled the clean pine fragrance there, smiling.
Vince loved Christmas. All of it. The crowds bustling in the stores, the smell of wood-burning fires, the crisp December air,
everyone bundled in sweaters and coats, brightly wrapped gifts, wonderful, comfort food and hot drinks. He loved it all. Even the
cheesy Christmas music being piped into every possible location for weeks on end around that time of year. It was all good to
him.
"Right," Stuart appeared at his side wrapped in his thick black coat and a red cashmere scarf. His nose and cheeks were ruddy
and his dark blue eyes sparkled under his dense black lashes. Vince almost swooned. "They can deliver the tree by the end of the
day. We just have to choose one." He looked at the tree Vince had been inspecting. "You like this one?"
"I'm growing attached to it, yeah. Is it too tall?"
Stuart scanned the tree, looking up and around it. "Nah. It's fine. We'll put it by the window next to the couch."
Vince smiled, nodding. "Yeah. That's perfect."
"So, what sort of decorations do you want? Of course, I don't have any." He smiled in a sweet, self-deprecating way. "You're
going to have to be in charge of creating our Christmas traditions since I don't know what I'm doing."
Vince kissed him because he just had to. He was grinning so hard his cold cheeks ached. "Well, I don't want to do anything you
don't like . . . you know, anything too terribly cheerful."
"Ha ha." Stuart waved for the sales associate he'd been speaking to and the man made his way through the trees toward them.
"Yes, Sir. Have you decided on a tree?" he said, congenially, his eyes passing from one to the other of them, clearly trying to
work out their relationship. Vince could almost see the man's wheels turning in there, wondering . . . brothers? Cousins? Friends?
Lovers would be the last idea to occur to a man like this.
"Yeah, this one looks good to us. We're over on Mariners Court," Stuart said. "Can we still get it delivered this afternoon?"
"Of course," the man said. "No problem at all. If you'll just step this way, we can take care of the arrangements." The salesman
took a pink tag off the tree that had all the pertinent information on it and then he led the way up to the register.
Stuart took out his wallet and leaned against the counter while the man rang up the sale.
"Right, for delivery, Sir. May I have your name?"
"Stuart Jones," he said, then he looked at Vince with his brow knit. "We have to get your name on the mailbox. Remind me about
that later and I'll speak to the landlord." He turned his attention back to the salesman. "We're at 16 Mariners Court. It's a loft flat,
a bit tricky to find from the street level. The entrance to the building is on the carport side."
"Is there a lift?"
"Yes. It's big enough for the tree, I believe. If not, it's only the second floor."
While the transaction went on, Vince sorted through a basket of ornaments and greenery that was placed on the counter, picking
out a big, dark green bunch of mistletoe and setting it out. "We need that," he said.
"We don't need that," Stuart teased, nudging him with his hip.
Vince giggled, nudging back. He picked out another sprig of the green stuff and added it to the pile. "I'm getting it," he said. "And
putting it up where you least expect it."
"Oh, I can't wait." Stuart winked at him, then took the bill of sale from the man behind the counter. He barely blinked at the price
written there but Vince almost passed out.
"Blimey!" he said. "Stuart, it's so much!"
"Never mind." Stuart pulled out the cash and paid the man, smiling politely. "What time can we expect delivery, then?"
"We should be able to get there by 4:00. Is that satisfactory?"
"Perfect," he said, glancing at his watch. "We have to go toy shopping," he said to Vince.
"Alfred's a bit young for anything more than soft toys."
He lowered his chin and grinned at his lover. "Not for Alfred . . ."
Vince blushed, glancing shyly at the salesman. "Stuart . . ." he giggled.
Laughing, Stuart pulled him into a hug. "You are so bloody sweet." He kissed Vince's cheek. "That is, when you want to be."
The salesman cleared his throat, holding out Stuart's change and his receipt. "Right, then. Everything appears to be in order. Oh, I
should get a telephone number at the place of delivery."
"What's our phone number, Vince?" Stuart asked, smiling into his eyes.
Vince recited the number from memory, his heart racing at the realization that it was in fact soon to be his own number, as well.
The salesman wrote the number down on the delivery slip, then thanked Stuart again. His manner had become decidedly more
stilted now that he was certain the two of them were lovers, but he was still being polite. After all, Stuart had just dropped a
considerable amount of cash there.
As they walked back out to the jeep, Stuart threaded his fingers into Vince's and gave him another kiss.
"You see?" Vince said, feeling like he could fly. "I knew I'd locate your Christmas spirit--no matter how deep it's buried."
"You're going to have to give me a transplant, Vince. I don't think I was born with any Christmas spirit."
Shaking his head, Vince tried not to stare at his lover as they walked. Something about Stuart that day was completely
mesmerizing, but Vince couldn't put his finger on it. He seemed somehow different, changed.
"You're staring again," the handsome Irishman said.
"Cope it out," Vince said, grinning.
Stuart kissed him again.
* * *
Stuart:
They didn't get much shopping done that afternoon, although they did manage to get all the necessary decorations for the tree.
With less than a week to go before Christmas, the shops were too crowded for Stuart's liking during the day, so they went to
Vince's flat to start sorting out his things for the move.
"We could bring some stuff over today," Stuart said. "The fish at least. It might be too much for them to come over with all the
other stuff. Wouldn't want any scaly little causalities."
"Yeah," Vince said, hanging their coats in the entry hallway. He looked around his small but homey flat and sighed. "Christ, I don't
know where to begin."
Stuart rubbed Vince's shoulders, trying to relax him. The muscles there were tense and knotted. "It won't be so bad once we get
started. The first step is the hardest." He nuzzled the soft, short hairs on the back of his lover's neck, enjoying the slightly prickly
feeling of them against his face. "Do you want me to see if Romey's around? She can come help."
Vince heaved out a long breath. "No, let's just see how bad it is first. We'll ring her if we need to." He smiled over his shoulder,
then walked over to the pile of empty boxes he'd been collecting from the store. "I'm worried about overtaking your flat with
videotapes," he said, smiling ruefully.
"I've already ordered two more book cases," Stuart told him. "You should have plenty of space for them." He walked over to the
fish tank and looked in through the glass at the colorful creatures. "What are their names?"
"You've never been interested in my fish before," Vince said.
"Well, they're going to be my first pets," he said. "Besides, if they're going to be living with us, I should at least know their names."
"You could guess if you thought about it." He placed one of the boxes on the floor by the most congested shelf full of tapes and
began loading them in.
Stuart considered for a moment, then his mind offered an obvious suggestion. He counted the tropical fish swimming in the tank
on a hunch . . . yes, there were seven. He smiled. "How will I know which fish is named after which Doctor?"
"They have characteristics that you can identify," Vince replied, seriously. "Like, that one--the whitish one swimming near the top
there--doesn't he sort of LOOK like William Hartnell?"
Stuart laughed out loud. "You are mad, aren't you?" He walked over to the pile of boxes and got one of his own. "Shall I start in
the kitchen?"
"Yeah," Vince said. "If you like. I have some newspaper stacked on the table there, if you feel like wrapping dishes."
Nodding, Stuart grabbed a big handful of the newspaper and headed into the narrow kitchen. He opened a cabinet over the sink
where he knew he would find cups and glasses and started taking them down one by one and wrapping them in paper. From the
other room, he heard the phone ring and listened as Vince answered it.
"Hello? Oh, hiya. Yeah, we've just started packing some boxes. Yeah. It is weird. But good. Weird, still. Yeah. Oh, sure. That
would be lovely. I mean, if you don't mind me putting you to work. We have to go to Stuart's by four `cos they're delivering the
Christmas tree." He laughed, softly. "Right. I reckon I'll call it `our house' after I'm actually moved in. Right, then. Great. See you
in a bit." He hung up and walked over to the kitchen door.
"Hazel?" Stuart asked.
"How'd you know?"
"Your voice," he said. "She should come help us decorate the tree tonight."
Vince didn't respond right away and Stuart looked up at him. His lover's face was slightly drawn and quite pale and he didn't look
very steady on his feet. Stuart walked over to him, holding Vince's face in his hands.
"All right?"
Vince shook his head.
"You look sick."
"No, just . . ."
"Scared?"
He nodded.
Stuart pulled him into a hug, wrapping his arms around and squeezing him close. "We can call it all off if you're not ready. Really."
"No. It isn't that. I don't think I'll ever be ready. It's so . . . huge. Moving in. I'm just . . ." He looked up into Stuart's eyes. "I don't
want to wait, please don't get me wrong. I think I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed."
"'Course you are. Anyone would. But, Vince--I don't want to feel like I'm forcing you."
Vince kissed him, sweetly, rubbing their noses together. "I'm sorry. Just ignore me. I'm fine. Well," he laughed a little. "Fine as I'm
going to get. Waiting isn't going to make any difference. I'll feel just the same later as I do now. Might as well stick to the plans
we've already made." Vince smiled, then, his color returning slowly. "Besides, you bought me a Christmas tree."
He grinned, playfully rubbing Vince's belly in that way he knew his lover liked. Then, suddenly he got an idea. "Listen, Hazel's
coming, right?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, then you two pack for a while and I'll go home and meet the blokes with the tree. I'll be back after that and we can load
whatever boxes you've packed into the jeep."
"I'm not running you off, am I?" Vince said, slightly concerned.
Stuart kissed him, more lingeringly, dabbing his tongue into Vince's parted lips. "I just decided I want to give you one of your
presents tonight and I have to make some preparations."
Vince looked down, smiling a bit teasingly. "There it is again . . . your Christmas spirit."
Stuart shook his head, starting out of the kitchen. "Oh, no! I must be catching it from you. I hope it's curable. I'd fuckin' HATE to
be like this all the time." He got his coat and patted his pockets for his keys, giving his lover a wink as he went out the door.
* * *
Vince:
Between him and his mother, they had managed to make quite a dent in the packing by the time Stuart returned to the flat later
that evening. Boxes were packed, taped and stacked three deep by the door and all seven fish were swimming restlessly in plastic
bags on the table beside their dry tank.
Hazel stood with her hands on her generous hips, surveying their accomplishment. "Well! The Tyler's can certainly empty a room
in no time at all. Only took us five hours. I don't know about you, luv, but I need a drink."
Stuart stood in the doorway, his eyebrows raised as he looked around. "Bloody hell, you two! Well done. There's almost nothing
left for the movers to pack."
"I left them the books," Vince said. "Figured that was safe, at least. They're not breakable and they're heavy as hell. My clothes
we can just shove into boxes. That really only leaves the furniture. And the stuff at the bar. And the fish."
"Who are coming tonight, right?" Stuart said.
"The fish are riding with me," Hazel said. "I have Bernie's car which won't hold much more, I'm afraid." She smiled at her son. "I
promise I won't let them drive."
"Right," Vince said, smiling back. "I guess we're ready."
The three of them started carrying the packed boxes down to Stuart's jeep. It took some shoving and creative arranging, but they
got them all in and then they made the fish comfortable in Hazel's ride. Agreeing that she would follow them, Vince locked up his
strangely gutted flat and they made their way to what would soon be his new home.
The fish and their tank came up first, each of the humans carrying a piece of the complicated gear. Vince had the fish in their bags
and he intended to start right away at putting the tank together.
As soon as Stuart opened the door, the scent of the tree wafted toward them. It stood in the living room beside the couch, just as
they had discussed, and it glowed with several strings of twinkling white lights. Some ornaments were visible from across the
room and Vince blinked, not believing what he was seeing.
"Is that . . ." he walked straight over to the tree, the fish in their bags still filling his arms. "Oh my God! Stuart!"
Vince could not believe his eyes as he took in the decorations on the tree. Each ornament was a character or object from his
beloved "Dr. Who." The garland was Tom Baker's famous scarf, though much narrower and it trailed in both directions from a
Tom Baker ornament. The other doctors were also represented and there was a tiny K9 and a few Daliks, as well. At the top of
the tree was a spinning Tardis.
"This is so unbelievable," he said, very near to tears. "I . . . Oh my God, Stuart."
"What have you done, kid?" Hazel said, walking up behind her son and staring at the tree. "Holy shit! Stuart Alan Jones, you must
be ill. Come here." She approached him at a fast clip, holding out her hands and grasping his face. Pulling him forward, she
touched her forehead to his. "What's got into you?" she demanded.
"Love," he said. "Disgusting, isn't it?"
They both laughed but Vince kept staring at the tree, his eyes registering a new and different ornament every few seconds.
Everything was there--all the characters, all the Doctors, everything. He didn't even realize that his legs had gone out from under
him until he felt something cold and wet in his lap. Looking down, he saw that he was on his backside on the floor and the bags
full of water and fish were leaking onto his trousers.
"Shit," he said, scrambling to his feet. "Mum, get the tank up. I have to put them in water or they'll die."
Quickly, she and Stuart assembled the necessary parts of the fish tank over by the bedroom wall, where they had agreed it would
go. This way it could be seen through the glass wall. Vince put the bags in the sink so he could arrange the gravel and small
statues on the tank bottom before he added the water. In a few minutes, all seven fish were swimming happily in their new home,
seeming to be quite relieved that the moving ordeal was over.
Now that his pets were sorted, Vince turned his attention back to that amazing tree. He walked around it, taking in all the
decorations and lights, his jaw hanging open in shock. "You did this all this afternoon?"
"Romey helped me," Stuart confessed, walking up behind him. "In fact, she did most of it. I finally found something I'm not good
at." He chuckled, almost bashfully. "Alfred seemed to like it, as well. He supervised, of course."
Vince turned around, looking at his lover with stunned disbelief. "You are amazing. I can't believe this. Thank you."
Stuart's eyes averted quickly as they always did when he was confronted emotionally--with something good or bad, it didn't
matter. His gaze would return in a matter of seconds, but there was always that fleeting instant of overwhelm where he just had to
look away.
"I'm glad you like it," he said, softly, stepping up and slipping his arms around Vince's waist. "I want you to be at home here, even
if you hate my décor."
"I don't hate it," Vince said, hugging him. "Really. God, I can't believe this." He buried his face in Stuart's neck and just stood
there, holding him.
"Right," Hazel said. "If you two are going to get mushy, I'm going down to get some boxes. Where's the keys to the jeep?"
"On the counter," Stuart said, never letting go of Vince. They were swaying slightly as though dancing to a slow, romantic song.
Vince heard her take the keys and start down the stairs out in the hallway. He felt Stuart pull away slightly and they looked in
each other's eyes.
"I want to give you that present now," he said. Stuart reached into the pocket of his trousers and took out a small, red velvet
covered box. He handed it to Vince.
"Oh, no, you're trying to kill me, aren't you?" Vince said, his eyes welling up. He was so full at that moment, he thought he would
burst.
"Take a deep breath," Stuart said, smiling. "You can handle it. Go on, then."
Vince opened the lid, tentatively.
"This is that thing I had to get from Marie," Stuart said. "She's had it for years. Mum gave it to her when she married Robert,
thinking she would give it to him. Thank God she never did, otherwise our family might have lost it when he left."
Inside the box was a simple gold band deeply imprinted all the way around with the delicate and powerful symbol of the
Claddagh. Vince took in a breath and held it in his lungs.
"Mum's family are from Galway," Stuart explained. "This ring goes back seven generations--well, eight now, with Marie's kids
and Alfred."
A tear tracked down Vince's cheek as he took the heavy ring out and held it up to the glinting light from the Christmas tree. "It's
beautiful," he murmured.
Stuart took the box and stuck it in his pocket again, out of the way. When he did this, Vince saw his fingers trembling just slightly.
Stuart Jones was nervous.
"I want you to wear it here," he said, guiding the ring to Vince's left hand ring finger. "We'll have it adjusted if it doesn't fit, but I
think it will. It fits me." He slid the ring down his lover's finger then kissed it when it was in place. Looking up, he searched Vince's
eyes with his own, his expression set and serious. "The Claddagh means `let love and friendship reign'. I reckon we're as close as
we're going to get to being married after all these years. Might as well show it."
"I think I'm going to pass out," Vince said, laughing through his tears. He looked at the ring on his hand and just shook his head.
"This is the most incredible day . . . I feel so . . ." he trailed off, not knowing exactly how he felt. There was too much going on
inside him to make any sense of it yet.
"You'll wear it, won't you?" Stuart asked, his tone slightly wobbly.
"I can't believe you said that." Vince flung his arms around him, hugging him as tightly as he could manage. "I'll wear it all the time
until you say you don't want me to anymore. And I'd never take it away from your family, Stuart. If something happens and you
and I . . . I just want you to know, I would give it back. I wouldn't--"
"Nothing's going to happen," Stuart whispered against his ear. He held Vince's face, kissing him, fighting with his own huge grin. "I
figured you would prefer this to me pissing on you to keep other blokes away."
Vince laughed, squeezing the last of the tears out of his eyes. He knew there would be more later, when he was on his own and
he could really process what just happened, but he was finished crying just then.
Through the propped open front door they could hear Hazel in the hallway outside, her footfalls sluggish from the weight of
whatever she was carrying.
"I could use some help here," she called and they both responded instinctively, hurrying across the floor to the open door.
"Give me that," Stuart said, taking the heavy box out of her arms. He carried it over to the dining room table where he set it down.
"Thank you," she said, brushing herself off. "It was heavier than I thought."
"Least I can do," Stuart said, strolling over to her. "You being my mother-in-law and all."
"Cheeky bastard," she retorted. "I'll have you."
Vince stood beside his mother and held out his hand, feeling like a giddy girl flashing her new engagement ring. In effect, that was
exactly what he was doing. Why not enjoy the moment?
"What's this?" she said, grabbing her son's hand and staring wide eyed at the Claddagh. "That MUST be an antique. It's
gorgeous!"
"Yeah," Stuart said. "Four hundred years old, to be exact."
"Christ!" she gasped, tugging the ring on Vince's finger. "Thank God it fits you! If you lose that . . ."
"I won't," he said, still grinning like a fool. "Don't worry."
"Oh my God, does this mean . . ?" She stomped over to Stuart and stood in front of him with her hands parked on her hips.
"You'd BEST not be expecting me to pay for a wedding, young man."
He shook his head. "Hazel, calm down. For now, it's just a symbol of commitment. It's my way of keeping Vince from runnin' off.
We'll talk about weddings some other time. All right?"
She lowering her chin, eyeing him knowingly. "You scared yourself, didn't you? Today. All this." She walked over and put her
hand on his cheek, smiling into his dark blue eyes. "You're not fooling me," she said, softly. Then she put her arms around him and
hugged him.
Stuart smiled at Vince over her shoulder.
"However," Hazel said, pointing her finger at Stuart. "The first time you call me `mum', I'm flogging you. I don't even let Vince do
that. Makes me feel old."
Stuart planted a loud, smacking kiss on her lips then pinched her cheek as he stood up. "I'll reserve that for when I get him
pregnant. And then I'll call you `grandma'." He laughed and walked out the door, heading down the stairs to bring up more of
Vince's boxes.
**********
Mailboxes and Mistletoe (Part Four)
On the afternoon of Christmas Eve, Vince got a taxi from the store after his shift and came back to the flat. His arms were loaded
with wrapping paper, tissue, folded gift boxes and tape, and he nearly tumbled the lot of it onto the floor of the lift on his way up.
As he always did, he said a silent prayer that the dodgy old lift wouldn't get stuck and he wrapped his arms tightly around the
things he carried.
By some miracle, the lift made it to the second floor but then Vince had to figure out how to roll the gate back with no free hands.
He cussed under his breath and then flinched in surprise as he saw someone standing outside the front door of the flat. Through
the bars of the gate around the lift, he could see that the person there was a woman, but he couldn't make out her features.
"Stuart?" she called in a lilting Irish accent. Instantly Vince knew it was his lover's mother, Margaret Jones.
"Uh, no, it's Vince. Is that Margaret?"
"Vince," she said sweetly, walking over to the gate. "Oh, look at you. Can I help?"
"Yeah, thanks," he said. "Can you just take these two?" He slipped two rolls of wrapping paper through the gate and she got hold
of them. Then he had a free hand and could get himself out of the lift. "How are you?"
"Just fine, thanks. Merry Christmas." Margaret kissed his cheek as he slid the lift gate closed.
"Merry Christmas to you. Stuart's on his way home. Did he forget you were coming by?"
"No, no. I was just `round the corner at a toy shop picking up something for Ben and I thought I'd stop in and bring him this." She
held up a plain white envelope with nothing printed on it. "It's something we talked about yesterday. He'll know what it is. Are you
two having a gift wrapping party?"
Vince smiled, realizing Stuart's mother didn't know he lived there. Frantically, he wondered how he would explain all his things in
the flat when they went inside. "Yeah," he said. "We thought we'd get it all done quicker with two of us working at it. He should
be along in about half an hour. Would you like to come in and wait?"
"No, that's all right," Margaret said. "He's expecting this, and I'll see him for lunch tomorrow, anyway. Would you mind just giving
it to him?"
"Not at all, of course." Vince got out his keys and unlocked the door, stepping inside just enough to unload the things in his arms.
Then he reached back and took the two rolls of wrapping paper from her along with the white envelope. "Are you sure you
wouldn't like to wait? I just got off the phone with him and he said he'd be home by four o'clock. We could have a cuppa tea and
catch up." He offered his most charming, boy-next-door smile, desperately hoping she would still refuse.
Margaret placed a hand on his cheek, then kissed the other one quickly. "I wish I could, but Marie is expecting me to watch the
kids this evening so she can wrap their gifts with some semblance of secrecy. I have to be going. Tell Stuart I'll be at his sister's
tonight if he needs to talk to me about that." She nodded toward the envelope, then turned to go down the stairs.
"Right, `course I will," Vince said. "Well, it was lovely seeing you, Margaret. Take care."
"You, too, Vince. Love to your mother." Margaret disappeared down the wide stairs, and Vince noted that she seemed to be in
quite a hurry.
Looking down at the envelope in his hand, he saw that it wasn't sealed. He peeked inside, holding the edges of the paper apart,
and saw that the envelope contained an invoice from an auto mechanic. £486.98 worth of repairs done to what Vince knew to be
Marie's car. Apparently Stuart had agreed to pay a bill that his parents were unable to cover. Vince gathered such things most
likely occurred rather often.
He brought the envelope inside and placed it on the kitchen counter where Stuart would see it right away. He put the kettle on
then gathered all the gift wrapping equipment and hauled it over to the tree, planning to have a nice, quite Christmas Eve in his
new home with his lover.
At 6:45 the phone rang and Vince all but leapt off the couch to answer it. Stuart was over two hours late and his mobile had been
switched off the whole time. Vince had no idea where his boyfriend was and he was fast becoming a nervous wreck.
"Hello?" he said, trying not to sound as panicked as he felt.
"Hi, Vince. It's Romey."
Letting out a long breath, Vince flopped down in the chair beside the phone. "Hiya. Have you seen Stuart?"
"No," she hesitated. "But I got the strangest call just now from his father. Clive rang to tell me congratulations on the baby and that
he and Margaret were very much looking forward to meeting their grandson."
"What?!" Vince sat forward, eyes bugging. "How on earth . . ?"
"I don't know," Romey said. "That's why I'm calling. Clive was only on the line long enough to say those few words then he
wished me a merry Christmas and hung up. I can't reach Stuart on his mobile and I wanted to find out . . . well, what the hell
happened. He said nothing to me about his planning to come out to his parents. He hasn't called you?"
"Not for hours," Vince said, his heart pounding sickly. "Christ." He lowered his head into his hands, sighing.
"Have you tried his sister?" she suggested.
"No, I don't want to worry his family on Christmas Eve if he's just been detained somewhere. I . . . Margaret was here when I
came home a few hours ago. She didn't stay--she didn't even come inside. She just left some envelope for Stuart and went on her
way."
"Was she behaving strangely?"
"Not that I noticed," Vince said. "She was quite sweet, actually."
"How odd," Romey said.
Vince ran his left hand through his hair and the Claddagh ring touched the skin of his forehead as he did so. Taking in a breath and
holding it, Vince stared at the ring on his hand. "Oh . . . My . . . God . . ."
"What?" she said.
"The ring, Romey. Margaret must have seen the ring. She . . . surprised me . . . I didn't have time to take it off . . . I . . . Oh,
God."
"Right," Romey sighed. "Now we know what happened. She saw the ring on your hand and she ran off to find her son and ask
him what was going on."
"Yeah," Vince said, frowning. "That means he had to come out to them when he wasn't prepared."
Romey took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes, it does indeed mean that. Well, please let me know when you hear from
him, will you? I do hope he's all right."
"I will," he said. "Speak to you later, luv." Vince hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment, his stomach churning and his
heart hammering. Maybe he should try Marie's. Just to see if she's heard anything. Squirming with indecision, Vince reached for
the phone and scanned down the row of pre-programmed buttons until he came to the one marked `Marie'. Just before he
pressed it, the flat door was flung open and Stuart bounded through it.
Stuart rushed across the room and up to the bedroom where he took the steps in one deft lunge. Racing into the bathroom, he
disappeared around the corner and Vince heard him wretch violently into the toilet. Twice he did that, then he had a coughing fit
then he vomited again. Vince was out of his chair and standing in the doorway of the bathroom before he even thought about
getting up, but he stopped himself before he went in. Stuart wouldn't want him to hover or mother him, so Vince forced himself to
hang back.
After a few minutes, the toilet was flushed and Stuart staggered over to the basin to wash up. He splashed water over his face
several times, then he went about brushing his teeth.
Vince went down to the kitchen and poured a glass of ginger ale, carrying it back to the bathroom. "Are you all right, luv?" he
said.
Stuart dried his face with a hand towel then blew his nose. His dark blue eyes were rimmed with red and his cheeks were pale
and clammy. He offered Vince a wan smile, then reached for the glass of ginger ale. "So, I hear my mother came `round."
Vince laughed weakly. "Yeah. She, uh, was standing outside the door when I came home. I didn't have the chance to . . ." he
regarded the ring with a helpless shrug. "My hands were full, anyway."
"Don't be daft," Stuart said, drinking the bubbling soda in three large gulps. "There's nothing you could have done, Vince. And I
don't want you talking that ring off, anyway. This was clearly the time and place for all this to happen." He walked into the
bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.
Vince wrung his hands in the doorway. "I, uh . . . don't know if you want to hear this now, but Romey called. She said your father
rang her about Alfred."
"Yeah," Stuart said. "I was there when he made that call. Sitting at the table right across from him." He stared into the empty glass
in his hands. "He knew. My father did. Well, about me--not about the baby. That was a surprise for them both."
Vince crossed the room and carefully sat down beside his lover. Tentatively, he reached a hand over and placed it on Stuart's
arm. "I feel responsible," he said.
"Vince." Stuart looked at him directly, his eyes still puffy and red. "It's not your fault that I never told my parents I'm gay. I'm
going to be thirty years old. Like Romey said, I've got a partner now and a child. It's just . . . even though I still think it's none of
their fucking business what I do with my cock, I know they would eventually find out now that all this . . . all these other things are
happening." He sighed. "I suppose I was just being naïve, thinking they would continue to look the other way for the rest of my
life." He looked down again, turning the glass in his hands. "Besides, it's not fair to you and Alfred--them not knowing. I can't
have you jumping at shadows for the rest of our lives trying to hide that ring from my parents. It's stupid."
Vince pulled him into a hug and held on for a long time.
"At least it's done now," Stuart said finally. "Suppose I'll be relieved once I get over it."
"Yeah." Vince looked at him, holding Stuart's chin up on the end of his finger. "How about a nice long soak in a hot bath? I'll
make you some toast to settle your stomach."
Trying his best to smile, Stuart nodded. "Thanks."
Thinking Stuart would want to be alone for a bit, Vince left him relaxing in the steaming tub. He went down to the phone in the
living room and dialed Romey's number.
"Hello?"
"Hi, is that Lisa?" Vince said.
"Yes. Vince?"
"Hiya."
"God, did you ever find that wayward bastard of yours?"
"I did. He's home safe. I just wanted to let Romey know since she rang earlier."
"Right," Lisa said. "How is he, anyway?" Her tone conveyed as much concern as she was able to muster, all things considered.
"Fine," Vince replied, not wishing to elaborate. "I'm not really sure what all happened yet, but at least he's home."
Lisa sighed. "How are you doing with all this?"
"Me? I'm fine. Just . . . trying to look after Stuart. Don't want him falling apart on Christmas Day."
She huffed a bitter laugh. "He's such a bloody drama queen, I'm not at all surprised he chose now to come out to his parents.
Poor sods. They will forever associate Christmas as the time they found out their golden boy son is a homosexual."
Vince frowned, knowing he'd best get off the phone shortly or he was going to say something uncharacteristically rude to Romey's
girlfriend. "Right, well, anyway. Please let Romey know I called and that we'll see you all tomorrow. We thought we'd stop
`round at five-ish?"
"That's fine," Lisa said, her tone softening. "We'll see you tomorrow, then. Merry Christmas, Vince."
"Merry Christmas, Lisa. `Night." He hung up and crept back up the bathroom, peeking around the wall to see how Stuart was
doing.
The lean brunette was stretched out in the hot water on his belly, his arms dangling over the side of the dark gray porcelain tub.
His elegant fingers picked at the crust of the toast Vince left on a plate beside the bath but he hadn't eaten any of it. His dark curls
were glossy from the moisture and they clung to his smooth neck.
"It won't help your tummy if you don't eat it," Vince said, sitting down on the floor and crossing his legs. He picked up a piece of
the toast and held it up to Stuart's mouth. "One bite?"
He shook his head. "I'm feeling better, anyway."
"Bite, then." Stuart held the toast up hopefully.
Reluctantly, he opened his mouth and bit off a corner of the piece of toast, chewing it slowly. He swallowed, then took another
bite and another until the triangular cut bit of bread was gone.
"Good boy," Vince said.
Stuart's color had returned in his cheeks and the upheaval of his day had left a quiet sort of melancholy around him. He seemed
vulnerable and young as he laid there in the bath, his skin glowing softly in the light of the candles Vince had lit for him around the
narrow room. His sapphire eyes watched Vince unwaveringly, their soft glint a beautifully deceptive cover for what must have
really been going on inside him.
"Will you get in?" he whispered.
Vince stripped off his shirt and stood up to rid himself of his sweats. Stuart rolled onto his back and sat up in the tub to make
room for his lover. Stepping into the hot water gingerly at first, Vince lowered himself down and wrapped his legs around Stuart's
hips. They scooted toward each other on the warm porcelain, limbs entwining, cocks pressing gently together. Stuart took the
wash cloth he'd been using and wet it, rubbing it over Vince's naked arms and shoulders, warming his skin with the fragrant bath
water.
Vince took a bar of soap out of the dish and held it to his nose before getting it wet. It smelled of lavender and mint. He dunked it
in the water, then worked it in his hands until he had a thick lather. Spreading it slowly over Stuart's warm chest, he took his time
stroking the smooth skin with the silky suds. He could just see the lights twinkling on the Christmas tree from where they sat and
just for a moment the gravity of the situation--the day his lover had, the fact that they were living together, the reality of his life long
best friend actually being his life partner--all these things culminated at once for him and he thought he might cry. Instead, he
leaned forward and pressed his lips to Stuart's in a long lingering kiss, breathing in and out, tasting the slight saltiness of the butter
he'd put on the toast on Stuart's warm lips.
With his hands, he worked the lather around Stuart's sides and up his back, soothing him with long, even caresses. Vince felt him
move closer in the tub, his sinewy legs winding gracefully around his back and crossing behind him. The brunette sighed, relaxing
his weight against Vince and nuzzling his ear. Their cocks swelled against each other and seemed to reach for the other's heat as
they pressed their bodies closer in the water.
Stuart let out a long, sighing breath, his hands sliding up Vince's sides and down his arms. Leaning in, he tilted his chin and ran his
tongue over Vince's lips, then he slipped it inside his mouth, kissing him deeply. "Make love to me," he whispered.
Vince rubbed their noses together gently. "Are you feeling well enough?"
His plum colored lips pulled into that crooked grin. "If you promise to be gentle."
Vince reached behind him and flipped the button for the drain, then he tugged the shower handle over the tub faucet free and
turned the water on to rinse the soap off their skin. Stuart liked the way that felt and he smiled like a kid just discovering some
new pleasure.
"That tickles," he said, holding Vince's wrist and guiding the spray of water over his own shoulder and down his back.
Vince kissed his body as he stood up in the tub, rinsing his lover's skin clean with the shower handle. He kissed and licked
Stuart's cock, stimulating it to its full length and thickness. Stuart stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel off the rack on the
wall, rubbing it over his skin as he waited for Vince to get out.
"We have a million things to wrap," he said as he stepped into the towel Stuart held out.
Stuart just rolled his eyes. He walked naked toward the bedroom where he tugged down the blankets and tossed the pillows
around at the top of the bed. Flopping into the fluffy covers, he stretched out luxuriantly, fingering his erect cock as he held his
lover's gaze. Vince crawled onto the bed and lowered himself down over Stuart's hips, lapping the hot erection there thoroughly.
He sucked it into his mouth, savoring the fresh scent of the soap still on Stuart's skin in combination with the enticing musk of his
arousal.
Stuart moaned, stroking Vince's hair, encouraging him. "I want you inside me . . ." he murmured. "Take me, Vince . . ." His blue
eyes implored lustfully as his hips lifted into the warm suckling.
Vince placed his hands on those narrow hips and drew Stuart's body back to the edge of the bed. Sliding down onto his knees on
the floor, Vince used his hands to spread Stuart's well-defined legs wide, placing kisses all over his balls and thighs as he made his
way down to the dark pink rose bud of Stuart's anus. He touched the hot circle of flesh with the pad of his finger at first, then he
leaned in and kissed it very lightly. Taking a deep breath, Vince gathered saliva in his mouth and wet his tongue, then he traced the
slightly salty, crinkled ring in a slow but relentless circle. He repeated this again and again, wetting his tongue and licking in a circle
until Stuart was writhing on the bed, tugging at the sheets with his hands and begging to be fucked. Vince slid his fingers inside the
hot opening and went right for Stuart's prostate, massaging it in a deep, slow circle until his lover cried out and bucked on the
bed, his blue eyes squeezing closed in a desperate frown.
"God, Vince . . . please . . ." He reached up and grabbed Vince's arms, holding on tight. He breathed raggedly as he begged with
his eyes, his cheeks flushed, lips dark purple. His full, heavy cock shuddered on his belly, leaking clear fluid onto the tense skin
just below his navel.
Vince was familiar with this look. This expression meant Stuart needed to be removed from everything--taken out of his current
emotional state and transported into a purely physical, totally erotic nothingness where he could feel only pleasure. A few months
before, Vince's awareness of this state of being in Stuart might have been completely overwhelming, but not then. Not that night.
Vince had even anticipated Stuart would feel this way as soon as he came bursting through the door earlier. Vince could almost
see himself at that moment, holding Stuart in his arms and driving into him, supporting his lover's body as Stuart let go and let
himself hang limply on Vince's cock, suspended on the pleasure, secure and knowing that he wouldn't fall.
Stuart raised his legs and wrapped one over Vince's shoulder, the other around his lover's waist. His hand slid down and he took
hold of Vince's cock, guiding it toward his opening. With one quick, deft movement, Vince felt himself sliding inside the tight
furnace of Stuart's body--his cock bare, no condom, no lubrication save for his own saliva and slick pre-come. He grabbed
Stuart's hips and started to make some protest, but his lover just kissed him, silenced him. There was no stopping at that point,
anyway, and Vince knew it. No stopping either of them.
The fit was tight and deliciously scratchy at first but Stuart's body welcomed his lover's throbbing cock, relaxing and opening to it.
His fingers held onto Vince's shoulders, gripping dead tight as they found the rhythm and began to move together.
One leg still on the floor, Vince supported himself on the mattress with the other leg, bent and pressed against Stuart's backside.
Stuart's fingers slid off his shoulders and he let go, his arms raising over his head and propping himself up from behind. He arched
his back into Vince's thrusts, groaning deep in his throat, his strong legs controlling his pace as they grasped his lover's body.
Vince kept the pace even and almost painfully slow, reveling in the amazing sensation of being inside Stuart with nothing between
them-- skin on skin. He could feel every single ridge and smooth spot inside his lover's body and his cock pulsed pre-come
copiously in response to the tickling pleasure. Stuart shuddered and swore under his breath, eyes closed, mouth open . . . lost.
Just where he needed to be.
Knowing he was doing everything just right, Vince smiled to himself, his cock finding Stuart's prostate inside him and scraping it,
rubbing it, stroking passed it. He lifted his hips in quick little jabs, actually thumping the swollen gland and Stuart shouted under
him, his eyes popping open and staring at Vince in carnal surprise for an instant before he groaned and rocked back on the
mattress, once again slipping into his much needed sexual bliss.
Slowing almost to a stop, Vince pushed his cock inside all the way to the hilt, his balls pressing Stuart's hot cheeks. Their fast
heartbeats kept time with one another and he could feel it in the pulse between them. He lowered his voice to a soft, gravelly
whisper. "Do you want to come now?" he said.
Glistening with sweat and gasping on the bed beneath him, Stuart's eyes slid open. He looked at his lover, locked eyes and Vince
felt his anus contract around his own cock tightly. Suddenly they were both coming, the spasms seeming to pass between them,
from one to the other of them, as though there was only one orgasm they were both sharing. Vince felt the wetness increase inside
Stuart's hot canal as his semen spurted out and filled the narrow space. The sensation was incredible and he moaned, almost
losing his balance. He held on to Stuart's legs, shaking as the contractions subsided.
Stuart's belly and chest were splattered with thick, white semen. He was only half lying on the bed--just his upper back touching
the mattress. Vince held up his hips and he was, indeed, impaled on the cock inside him. Vince made to pull out but Stuart
grabbed his arms.
"Don't you dare. Lower me down slowly . . . don't slip out."
Vince did as he was asked, bending at the waist to let Stuart's body lie flat on the bed.
"Come here," he said, pulling Vince by the shoulders.
Taking care not to break their connection, Vince laid down on top of Stuart, resting his head on the brunette's chest. He felt the
slickness of the sweat and the semen on his skin there but he didn't care. Vince just pressed against him, wrapping his arms
around Stuart's waist and holding him as close as possible. They stayed that way until Vince's cock had gone completely soft and
it slipped out naturally. Stuart took in a breath as Vince's semen leaked out and made a wet spot on the sheet beneath them.
"Should we have done that?" Vince asked.
"Are you sleeping with anyone else?" Stuart said.
"Well, there's those three blokes from work, that rent boy from Monday and that orgy I hosted the other night, but otherwise, I've
been completely monogamous." Vince smiled, rolling onto his side and letting out a deep sigh.
"I was tested again two weeks ago," Stuart said. "In fact, I got the all-clear from my doctor this morning and had all these great
ideas for celebrating the fact that we could have unprotected sex when my fucking MOTHER rang me. Cocked up my entire
plan."
They looked at each other for a moment then burst out laughing.
Vince got up and went to the bathroom for a clean towel, which he ran under warm water before returning to the bed. He cleaned
Stuart's skin, wiping the sweat and semen off his chest and running the towel gently down the cleft of his ass.
"The absence of condoms is going to make sex very, very messy," he pointed out.
"I like it messy." Stuart grinned, taking the towel and tossing it aside. He pulled Vince down on him again, snuggling and tugging
the comforter up over them.
With his head on Stuart's chest, Vince looked up. "Do you want me to get tested again? It's been less than six months, but I don't
mind."
"Not unless you want to."
Vince frowned, feeling slightly ashamed and Stuart pet his hair.
"Don't get all insulted. I'm not saying I'm not worried about you because you haven't had many shags, Vince. It's only because
you're the most responsible bastard I've ever met. Even if you'd shagged a thousand more blokes that I did these last six months,
I wouldn't be worried. I mean, look--you almost didn't do it with ME and I'm your lover."
Vince sighed, still feeling insulted. He knew it was silly and that somewhere in all this Stuart was actually giving him a compliment,
but it still stung.
"Did you like it?" Stuart said, his voice soft and low. His fingers toyed with the short hairs on Vince's neck, giving him little chills
down his back. "Being inside me like that? Naked?"
He smiled at the sense memory of it and his eyes slid closed. "Yeah," he said. "It was incredible, actually."
"You gave me quite a shafting, Vincent Tyler," Stuart teased. "I could tell it felt good to you."
Raising up on his elbows, Vince looked at his lover, seriously. "Really, Stuart. I think I should have a test."
"Then have one." Stuart spread his hands. "But you don't have to do it for me, is all. I trust you." He stroked Vince's cheek with
his fingers. "Get the test for yourself."
Vince rested his chin on Stuart's chest, heaving a sigh. "You're making me feel like a pathetic twat that's only had three shags in his
life."
"Christ," Stuart laughed. "I won't be sitting comfortably for two days if that makes you feel any better. For some pathetic twat
that's only had three shags in his life, you fuck like a right slut."
Vince blushed, shaking his head. "That's just because I know what YOU like."
"Yes," Stuart leaned forward and kissed him. "You do, indeed, luv. Thought you were going to be gentle with me."
"That wasn't what you wanted," Vince said simply.
"See? I've turned you into an expert."
"An expert on you." Vince rolled over and got out from under the covers. "It's Christmas Eve, you know. Things to do. Can't lie
around in bed all night." He walked back to the bathroom and gathered his clothes from off the floor.
"You're not angry, are you?" Stuart called from the bedroom.
"No, but we've got presents to wrap." He pulled on his sweats, then his shirt as he made his way back to the bedroom. Vince
stopped in the doorway and looked at his lover, seriously. "Stuart, really, I'm very glad that you're well. I'm glad you got tested. I
. . . can't even let myself think about that . . . if you were ill . . ." He shuddered, pushing the thought away. "We've been to so
many funerals lately, it's just . . . I'm very, very pleased to know that you're well."
Stuart sat up, looking at him. "Get tested," he said. "And do it for me. All right?"
Vince rolled his eyes, walking over to the bed and reaching out for Stuart's hand. "Get up. You have to help me, I'm not doing this
by myself."
"I can't even sit down," he complained, smiling. "How do you expect me to wrap presents?"
"Wrap standing up." Vince opened the closet and took out a pair of silky pajama bottoms for Stuart, together with a soft, fleecy
sweatshirt. "Get dressed, now." When he looked at Stuart then, the handsome brunette's face had gone pale again. "What?"
"My parents know," he said.
Vince sighed. "Yeah." He held Stuart's face in his hands and smiled into his eyes. "It's a good thing. I promise. You'll grow
accustomed to the idea and so will they. It's for the best. You do know that, right?"
Looking down at the clean clothes in his hand, Stuart nodded ruefully. He stepped forward for another hug and stayed there for a
long time before he got dressed.
**********
Parts 5 & 6
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