Part 3
DeAnna Zankich
Sequel is | Poison Apple
Summary: Kate stirs things up one more time for the boys before she heads back home to America.
Warnings: None
Vince:
Alex showed up about an hour after Hazel and just as Stuart had predicted, Kate and Alex were getting on like a house fire. They
were dancing by the stage at Babylon and Kate was tugging Alex's arm, trying to get him up on the platform. It didn't really take
too much coaxing, as Alex was one of the world's biggest hams. In no time, the two of them were shaking their butts on the
lighted stage like two crazed teenagers.
"She's having a great time," Stuart said in his ear. They were standing at the railing upstairs looking down on the crowded
dancefloor.
"Yeah," Vince said. "You were right about her and Alex."
Stuart chuckled, watching his friend and Vince's friend dancing like twats on the stage.
>From his vantagepoint, Vince could see almost the whole club and he scanned the crowd with vague curiosity as he and Stuart
swayed gently against each other in time with the throbbing beat.
Down along the wall at the back, there were a few good-looking blokes¡X none of whom looked old enough to be in there. The
guy at the door must be especially lax that night to let in such kids. Vince looked at their young faces and couldn't help but be
reminded of the first time he and Stuart ever came to Babylon. He'd been scared to death of having his fake I.D. spotted, but
Stuart had been all confidence¡X as usual. He'd copped off almost instantly with a bloke who must have been in his late twenties.
Funny, thinking of those days. Sometimes it felt like that had been someone else's life rather than Vince's own memories. It all
seemed so surreal.
"I'm going down," Stuart said, kissing him softly on the neck. "Coming?"
"Yeah, in a minute. I'll watch you for a bit." Vince smiled at his handsome lover. "I love to watch you dance."
Stuart pressed against him in an affectionate, full-body nudge before he went off down the stairs. Vince watched Kate and Alex
laughing and dancing and he smiled to himself. This was a good night. He was happy, all seemed well and Kate Stephani was
almost gone. He tried not to think too much about what Hazel had said earlier. As far as Vince was concerned, once that little
American woman got on that plane on Monday, she was out of their lives.
And that was just fine with him.
Vince glanced back at the kids along the wall and suddenly his heart stopped. Nathan Maloney stood there beside his friend,
Donna, and both of them were watching Stuart as he made his way through the crowd to the edge of the stage. Nathan's gaze
was unfaltering and Vince felt his chest tightening at the sight of it. Before he even thought about it, he'd pushed away from the
railing and started down the stairs.
* * *
Stuart:
Pressing through the bodies on the dance floor, Stuart made his way to the stage right below where Kate and Alex danced. He
reached out and tugged her trouser leg and she looked down.
"Get up here, you!" she said, holding out her arm to hoist him up.
Stuart shook his head, laughing, and stepped back out of her reach.
"Oh, come on, Shitface!" Alex said. "It's not like you're coppin' off with anyone here! Come up and dance!"
Kate pouted and Stuart rolled his eyes, relenting. He climbed up on the stage and danced between them, laughing in spite of
himself as he looked down on the sea of writhing bodies on the floor. As he pressed his body against Kate and swung her around
in a comic Tango style move, his eye caught a familiar face back against the wall. Doing a double take, he squinted through the
smoky air to make certain of what he was seeing.
Nathan watched him with his intense, hungry eyes. He stood against the wall with some other young blokes and his girlfriend,
Donna, who was also watching him. Suddenly it seemed like there was no one else in the room and he and Nathan just locked
eyes. Nathan nodded to him by way of a greeting and Stuart nodded back.
Wiggling in his arms, Kate looked at him curiously. "Hey! Are we dancing or are you staring at the wall?" She followed his line of
sight and clocked Nathan almost instantly. Taking Stuart's chin in her hand, she turned his face to hers. "Don't even think about it.
I'm serious."
"I wasn't," he said.
"You were transfixed just then. Just like he was. I want you to promise me you'll ignore him."
"I promise," Stuart said, smiling at her. He spun her around again and continued to dance, trading her off to Alex who then
stepped into Stuart's arms to be spun. They laughed and teased each other and went back to having fun, but Stuart was very
much aware of the boy's presence. He could feel Nathan in the air like that warm crackle before an electrical storm.
Glancing up at the balcony, he looked for Vince but couldn't find him. Must be on his way down to the dance floor, Stuart
thought. He turned his attention back to Kate and Alex as they danced in a crazed, arm flailing disco line across the front of the
stage.
* * *
Vince:
Crossing the dancefloor along the back wall, Vince tried to keep out of sight as he approached the kid and his friend.
Unfortunately, that little Donna was keen and she spotted him when he was still a few yards away. Vince saw her whisper in
Nathan's ear and then Nathan was looking directly at him, his round blue eyes full of alarm.
Stepping right up to the kid's face, Vince motioned for him to lean forward and present his ear. Nathan did, watching Vince very
cautiously as he bent down.
"Stay away from him," Vince instructed. "I'm only going to tell you once." He looked in Nathan's eyes coldly, his gaze demanding
and terse. "Right?"
Nathan nodded once, obediently.
"Then you won't need to keep staring at him, will you?" Vince went on. "Why don't you and your little friends go somewhere else
for a drink tonight?" He glanced over at Donna who was watching him almost fearfully. Vince had no issue with this young girl so
he offered her a consoling smile, hoping to assuage her anxiety. She tried to smile back but it didn't work very well. Not being an
aggressive person by nature, Vince felt badly for making her uncomfortable. He turned his attention back to Nathan who was still
watching him closely.
"Try Via Fossa or Manto's," Vince suggested. "We'll only be here for =
about an hour or so. Come back later."
Nathan stood where he was and didn't move or speak for almost a full minute. Vince was beginning to think he wouldn't say or
do anything at all, but then Nathan leaned forward again.
"We're staying," the kid said. "I already promised you I'd leave Stuart alone. You don't have any right to tell me and my friends to
leave this club."
Vince swallowed and his heartbeat picked up alarmingly, but he didn't show his nervousness on his face. He kept his expression
stern and serious and then he turned back to Donna. Stepping over to her, he touched her arm gently as he leaned in to speak in
her ear.
"Donna, will you keep an eye on him? Make sure he doesn't talk to Stuart?"
She nodded soberly, her jaw open just slightly.
"Right. Thanks, love." He gave her another small smile then walked off, cutting his way through the crowd to the stage. His heart
was hammering and he melted himself into the dancing bodies out there, moving quickly to try to dispense some of the adrenaline
rushing through him. He danced his heart out on the floor for a moment, then he scrambled up onto the stage with his companions,
grabbing Alex by his wrists and spinning him like they were in a wildflower meadow in spring.
As he stepped closer to Stuart, the smoldering brunette caught his eye. "What did you say to Nathan?" his lover asked, his tone
slightly sharp.
"Nothing," Vince replied, feeling impotent because his words had no effect on the kid. He didn't want to talk about it.
"What did you say, Vince?" Stuart insisted.
"I said nothing." Vince snapped the words out, holding Stuart's gaze steadily. He really did NOT want to talk about it.
Kate leaned in between them, her brow furrowed with concern. "What's this? What's going on?"
The two continued to stare at each other heatedly for a moment, then Stuart looked away, his fierceness dissolving into dismay.
He took Kate's hand and walked off the platform, pulling her through the crowd and up the stairs to the balcony.
Vince watched them go, trying to ignore Alex's repeated inquiries as to what had happened. The truth was Vince wasn't entirely
certain himself. All he knew was that he felt angry and defenseless and hamstrung and he didn't want to be there anymore.
* * *
Stuart:
Sitting in a booth toward the back of the second floor, Stuart slumped down and sighed. Kate sat next to him, her face still
crumpled in confusion.
"What the hell is going on, Stuart? All of a sudden you two are fighting. What happened?"
"Nathan's hear," he said, miserably.
"So?"
"So . . . Vince was talking to him and he wouldn't tell me what he said."
"Well," Kate breathed a laugh. "If I were Vince, I would have sent the little shit packing. I would have asked him to leave."
"It's a free country. He can't do that."
"He can ask," she said. "You need a drink, right?"
"Yeah. Thanks." He watched her walk to the bar on the second floor and lean against the counter, waving for the barman's
attention.
He sighed, picking at the hem of his shirt absently. He didn't want to think of this as a fight¡Xhe and Vince didn't really have fights,
they just bickered and spat and then it was over. But this FELT like a fight. He was angry as hell and he could tell Vince was, too.
All this drama over one little blonde boy. Such a waste.
Suddenly, said little blonde boy was standing beside him¡Xon his own, without his little friends. They must have been waiting for
him downstairs. Nathan leaned over the backrest of the booth and spoke in Stuart's ear.
"Are you and Vince having a row over me?"
Stuart glared at him, incredulously. "You don't honestly think I care enough about you to get into a fight with my boyfriend over
you. Please."
Nathan's handsome young face changed into a cocky smirk. "He asked me to leave, your boyfriend did."
His jaw clenching, Stuart stared at Nathan harshly. "Why don't you?"
"Because," Nathan said. "It's not his world. He can't tell me what to do."
Kate came back to the table with their fresh drinks and she slid into the booth, sitting very close to Stuart on his left.
"Hey, Nathan," she said, in a chilly yet conversational tone.
"Hiya. Kate, right?"
"Right. Having a good night?"
"Not at the moment," he said, looking at Stuart. "Vince wants me to leave because his boyfriend can't keep his hands off me."
"All right, Nathan, FUCK OFF!" Stuart sat up, suddenly in a rage and he leaned forward threateningly. "Just fuck off home. Get
out o' here."
Nathan shook his head slowly. "Tch, tch, tch. So much emotion . . . Stuart, if I didn't know better, I'd think you had feelings for
me."
Kate's hand gripped his arm from behind, holding him in his seat. "Stay put," she warned. "Just sit down. Don't get near him."
"Right," the kid went on. "'Cos if you get near me, you'll smell me and then you'll snap. You can't resist me, Stuart. Said so
yourself. You know you want me just as much as I want you. No use fighting it."
"Get away from me, Nathan," he growled. "I couldn't be joking less."
Then, exercising that brazen confidence that Stuart found so intriguing in the boy, Nathan leaned forward again¡Xonly inches from
Stuart's face. The warm scent of his smooth skin made Stuart's mouth water. He licked his lips and tasted the boy there.
"Can I at least have a kiss?" Nathan said. He batted his eyes and licked his plump lips, meaning to close the distance between
them.
Kate tugged Stuart's arm and hauled him back against the booth. Stuart flopped down and sighed, angrily. But he stayed there.
Glowering at the boy, Kate set her jaw and spoke to him through clenched teeth. "Run along, Nathan. This little skit isn't funny
anymore. Just go."
Stuart didn't look at him but he could see out of his peripheral vision that Nathan acquiesced. He muttered something Stuart
couldn't hear and then the little shit finally went off.
"I'll go and find Vince," she said. "Stay here and have your drink. Don't you move." Handing him his screwdriver, Kate got up and
started down the stairs.
He stayed there for while, sipping his drink and fuming. He could still taste Nathan on his lips and he hadn't even kissed the kid.
That boy had the strongest pheromones Stuart had ever encountered in his life. It was unfair torture.
After a moment, Stuart downed the rest of his cocktail and picked up Kate's untouched martini, taking it with him down the stairs.
He would find Vince himself but what he would say, he had no clue.
* * *
Vince:
In a flurry of impatient, angry movements, Vince found himself out on Canal Street waving down a cab. Just as the driver
acknowledged him and began to pull in at the curb, he heard Stuart's voice behind him calling his name. Vince ignored him and
got in the cab, pulling the door closed after him and giving the driver their home address.
He never looked up as the taxi pulled out. He just slouched down in the seat and covered his eyes. God, he was tired. Vince
couldn't remember ever being so damned tired.
* * *
Stuart:
As he ran outside, he saw Alex standing in front of Babylon with a freshly lit cigarette dangling from his fingers. He looked frazzled
and anxious as Stuart came up behind him. He could see Vince getting in that cab and he called his name, but his lover completely
ignored him.
"Where's he gone?" he asked Alex, sharply.
"Home, I believe," the wiry blonde replied. "He's very upset with you."
Stuart was instantly enraged. "He's upset with ME?! I didn't fucking do anything!!"
Kate appeared at his side holding their jackets. She looked at him quickly, then stepped out to the street to get a cab. Stuart
watched all this in a daze as though it was happening outside of him¡Xlike someone else's nightmare that he heard about
secondhand.
A taxi pulled up to Kate and she opened the door. Turning back to them, she looked at Alex.
"Alex, are you sure Vince went home?"
"Yes," he said, coolly.
Kate looked at Stuart, nodding for him to get in the cab. He walked over to her dreamily, taking his jacket out of her hand. He
was completely confused and didn't know exactly what was happening.
"Go home and handle this," she said, gently. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kate gave him a tight hug.
"Come with me," he heard himself say.
"I can't, hon. This is partially about me."
"It's about Nathan," he said. "At least I think it is . . ."
Kate shook her head. "It's a lot of things. You need to go home and give Vince some attention. He probably won't talk to you at
first¡Xhe might not know what's going on, either. But be patient with him, okay?" She waited until he looked at her and her eyes
searched around in his. "Taking me to the airport Monday?"
"Yeah," he said, a bit of clarity returning to his thoughts. Right. His Kate was leaving. He looked at her sadly then kissed her
forehead. "I . . . don't know what the hell's going on with him. I'm sorry about this."
She smiled. "He'll tell you as soon as he figures it out. Just go home. Don't worry about me. Alex and I will be fine." Kate hugged
him again. "I'll have my cell phone on if you need me tonight. Otherwise, call me tomorrow."
Stuart said he would then climbed into the cab. He waved at her as the taxi pulled out, feeling sad all over once again.
By the time he got back to the flat, he was fuming mad again. He took the stairs because it felt good to pound up them and then
he yanked the door open and burst into the flat, calling Vince's name at the top of his lungs.
Vince was leaning on the counter in the kitchen next to the fridge. A bottle of water was in his hand but it wasn't opened. He just
looked at Stuart when he came in¡Xjust looked at him with those sad blue eyes.
Stuart went right up and stood toe to toe with his lover. "What the hell was that?"
Vince frowned, looking down, but he had no response.
"Vince, talk to me. What the fuck happened? You know I didn't do anything and yet you're acting like I just committed the worst
sin imaginable. I won't have you treating me like that and not having a reason."
"I just can't stand it anymore, Stuart," Vince said in a barely audible voice.
"You can't stand what?"
Sighing, he shook his head and looked down at the unopened water bottle in his hands. It took him a minute before he went on
and when Vince spoke again, his voice was tight and strained. "I . . . feel like . . . I've . . . lost something. Like . . . oh, Christ." He
slammed the water down on the counter and looked at Stuart with an expression of complete surrender. "I miss you. That's what
it comes down to, Stuart. I miss you."
"What the fuck are you on about? I spend all my free time with you. I'm in bed with you every single night. You have all my
attention."
"No," Vince said. "I have all of your affection. That's different."
Stuart was even more confused than before and he rubbed his eyes with his fingers, irritably. "I don't understand. I'm your lover.
Of course you have all my affection. I don't know what you're saying."
Vince sighed, seeming to struggle with understanding his point just as much as Stuart was. He scrubbed his fingers through his hair
and started pacing the kitchen floor like a caged animal.
Stuart sighed, his anger waning into frustration. He wished he could help Vince but knew he couldn't. Like Kate said, he just had
to be patient. Wriggling up onto the counter, Stuart sat there with his legs folded and opened that bottle of water.
"When we first got together," Vince said. "Remember that night we went out with Alex and Dane? The night we told them about
us."
"Yeah, sure."
"Remember, Alex took me outside for a chat?"
Stuart nodded, watching his lover closely.
"He said something to me that¡Xat the time, I'm sure he was just joking or being funny, but Alex is like you in that he never says
anything he doesn't really mean. Just because it might be couched in a joke, he's still dead serious."
"What did he say?"
"He said . . . if you make your best friend into your boyfriend, who the ¡¥ell are you going to call to bitch about your boyfriend."
Vince looked at Stuart and for a moment they just stared at each other. Then, they both laughed weakly.
"Do you see?" Vince implored. "I feel like I've lost my best friend. And . . . watching you with Kate . . . God, it was just too
much. I felt isolated from you and I . . . Stuart. I miss you. That's what I mean. I miss playing with you and having a laugh and just
. . . spending useless time together acting like twats. We can't do that now. We have all these other . . . ways we have to behave
now. I'm just . . . fuck, I don't know. That's what I meant. About missing you. I just wish I could call you to talk about shagging
you. I'd love to just go on and on for hours about how fucking amazing it is to be with you. I'd tell you everything, every detail,
every sigh and moan . . . I'd . . . drive you mad with stories about what a fantastic lover you are. And how romantic you can be.
How much I miss you during the day when we're both at work. I'd tell you all of that until you were so sick of hearing about what
a wonderful boyfriend you are that you'd break up with me." Vince laughed through his tears and then he just sat down right
where he was standing. He covered his face and cried like a little kid and Stuart almost died from the sight of it.
He slid off the counter and wrapped himself around Vince on the kitchen floor, holding him close, rocking him, letting this storm of
emotion blow passed. He pet Vince's hair, soothing him with quiet words and soft, tender kisses. Reaching into his pocket, he
took out that handkerchief he never remembered putting in and wiped the tears off his lover's puffy cheeks.
"Shhhh . . ." he cooed, placing kisses all over Vince's face.
Finally he was calm, the flood of pent up feelings ebbing away. He slumped against Stuart on the floor and just sat there, letting
himself be held and comforted.
"You're going to see her in New York, aren't you?" Vince asked after a while. His head rested on Stuart's chest and they were
stretched on the floor against the cupboards.
"Yeah," he answered. "But not for a while. A few months. If you come with me, you won't have to worry about me. Of course
you're invited, as well."
Vince sat up, still a bit shaky. He looked in Stuart's eyes for a long time before he spoke again. "I'm not going to worry about you
anymore, Stuart."
His heart beating thickly, Stuart frowned. "Meaning?"
"Meaning, I'm done worrying. I'm sick of it, really. Exhausted. I feel like all I ever do is worry about you and what you're up to
and I'm just . . . done. I can't worry anymore. I don't have the strength. If you're going to shag Nathan, you're going to shag him
and there's nothing I can do. If you're going to get into trouble in New York, there's nothing I can do about that, either. I just . . ."
Vince sighed, heavily. "I have no more energy to give to worrying about whether or not you're going to keep your promise to me,
Stuart. You either will or you won't."
Stuart swallowed, feeling like a huge hole had been blown in the center of his chest. "I will, Vince," he said and the wobbly sound
of his own voice distressed him even more. He was afraid for the first time since he'd known Vincent Tyler. Afraid that this
wonderful, forgiving and perfect soul might actually leave him alone.
Vince sat up on his own and reached up onto the counter for the water bottle. He drank deeply then handed it to Stuart who took
it, but didn't drink. He sat there for a long moment absorbing what had been said and trying to figure out how to respond.
"I never meant to make you worry, Vince."
"Yes, you did." Vince looked directly at him but there was no accusation in his eyes. Only a dreadful, resolved calm that made
Stuart want to scream.
"Really," he insisted. "I never did."
Vince sighed, patiently. "I'm not saying you were being mean about it. You can't help it, really. You need to be doing something
wrong or you're not happy. You need to be pushing people's buttons and raising eyebrows everywhere you go. Even here, with
me. You're always pushing . . . trying to see how much I'll take of whatever it is you're asking me to take at that moment. You just
. . . need to be contrary. You need to struggle. It's who you are."
"I hate struggling. And I resent what you said about my pushing you. That's not true, Vince. I've been trying very hard to be gentle
with you¡Xkind to you. I've never hurt you intentionally."
Vince opened his mouth to argue, but Stuart held up his hand.
"Not since we've been together, I mean. What I did before when we were just friends . . . that's not part of this now."
"And that's what I mean," Vince said. "WHY isn't it? We're still us. Stuart and Vince. Still the same kids in grown bodies. Still
US. Why did we have to stop being best mates just because we became lovers?"
Stuart blinked. "I have to say that I wasn't aware we had stopped. As far as I'm concerned, you were, are and always will be my
best friend."
Vince was shaking his head. "No. If you weren't feeling this same exact thing, there's no way you would have become so close to
Kate that quickly." He looked at Stuart again, searching his eyes. "You miss me, too."
"Kate's got nothing to do with . . ." he stopped as his mind traced the pattern of his friendship with Kate Stephani. He thought
about how he clicked with her instantly and how quickly they bonded and became close. How he told her everything¡Xall those
details about his life with Vince. All that intimacy. He thought about how much he loved talking to her about Vince and how he felt
like he never shut up when he was around her. He just talked and talked and he always felt so good afterward, like he'd just spent
the whole day telling his best friend about his boyfriend.
Christ. Vince was right.
Letting all the air out of his lungs, Stuart rolled forward into Vince's lap and laid his head down there. "All right," he sighed. "I give
up. What do we do?"
Vince chuckled softly. "You give up? It's not even a good fight yet." He smiled, petting Stuart's curls gently. "We haven't even
broken any dishes or anything. Come on. Get up. Get that Irish temper roiling again."
Stuart laughed, rolling onto his back and looking up at his lover. "Are you saying you want to go back to just being friends?"
Vince shook his head. "Unfortunately, there is no going back now. All we've got is staying here, which I don't like, or going
forward. The option of going back just isn't available anymore."
Stuart thought about that for a long time. "Yeah," he concluded. "Staying here isn't any good. It's sticky and dark here."
Vince nodded his solemn agreement. His fingers played in Stuart's hair, lifting the curls off his forehead and gently pulling them
straight.
"Forward, then," Stuart said. He looked at Vince, hopefully. "I mean . . . if that's what you want."
Sighing, Vince smiled down at him. "Know what I want?"
Stuart shook his head.
Slowly, Vince leaned over him until their lips touched. They kissed softly, breathing each other in. Stuart reached up with his arms
and wound them around Vince's neck, pulling himself up and turning as they kissed until he was sitting in his lover's lap, legs
wrapped around Vince's waist. He felt Vince's warm fingers reach up under his shirt and stroke the hairs on his tummy just
enough to make him shiver. As their tongues played together, Vince gently tugged the hairs just below Stuart's navel and the
sensation made his nipples hard instantly. He moaned softly, capturing Vince's bottom lip with his teeth and chewing it.
Vince's hands wrapped around Stuart's waist and gripped, shifting on the floor to get his legs under him. Just as he went to stand
up, the door buzzer rang.
Pulling out of their kiss with a soft, wet smack they blinked at each other curiously.
"Kate?" Vince asked.
"No," he said. "It wouldn't be. Hazel?"
Vince considered. "Maybe, but probably not."
They stayed where they were, neither one moving.
"Leave it?" Stuart suggested.
"Fine with me," Vince said and stood up, lifting his lover by his lean hips.
They kissed again, snogging wetly and grinding against each other. The door buzzer rang again.
"Christ," Stuart sighed. He walked over to the white phone on the wall and yanked it off its hook, irritably. "What?" he barked,
adjusting his stiff cock in his trousers.
At first no one said anything and Stuart strained to listen for any sign that the person who rang the buzzer was still there.
"Is someone there?" he asked.
"It's me," Nathan said.
Stuart looked at Vince who received his lover's expression as well as the message attached. He walked over and stood right in
front of Stuart, taking the phone out of his hand.
"Nathan?" Vince said.
"Yeah."
"What do you want?"
"I, uh . . . are you . . . is everything all right? You were having a right row and I wanted to make sure."
Vince looked at Stuart and his soft blue eyes burned with a strange, almost dark glow. "Come on up," he said into the phone then
he pressed the button that unlocked the front door.
Stuart swallowed and his eyes widened as he stared at Vince. "What the hell are you doing?"
"I have an idea," Vince said, stepping forward to close the distance between them. He slipped his tongue into Stuart's mouth and
tasted him, brushing their noses together.
Stuart sighed as he felt Vince's fingers gently clasp his balls, squeezing just enough to give him the chills. And then, there was a
knock at the door and Vince stepped away to open it.
Stuart walked back into the kitchen and behind the counter, hoping to conceal his erection from the kid. He hadn't the slightest
idea what Vince was planning, but he couldn't help but be deathly curious.
He watched while Vince stood aside and let Nathan in, then closed the door after the willowy blonde. Nathan looked slightly
bewildered--as well he should--and he glanced around the flat quickly, looking for Stuart. Once his eyes found their mark, the
boy attempted a coy smile. Stuart only looked at him, blankly.
"Have a seat, Nathan," Vince said, his voice low and commanding. He walked into the kitchen and stood behind Stuart, hands on
the counter, one on each side of his lover's hips. He rested his chin on Stuart's shoulder and regarded Nathan with an almost
calculating gaze.
The blonde kept his eyes on Vince's, cautiously marking his every move. Nathan walked to the counter and sat on a barstool,
leaning forward onto his elbows.
"Want a drink?" Vince asked him.
Nathan shrugged. "Don't mind. Whatever you're having."
"We were having water," Stuart said, finally speaking. He reached for the bottle he and Vince had been sharing and lifted it to his
lips. Suddenly, he was extremely parched. He felt Vince step away from him and go to the fridge.
"Water? Or we have beer. Diet Coke?"
"Water's fine," Nathan said. "Thanks."
Vince got out another bottle and handed it across to the kid, then he returned to his position behind Stuart.
Nathan twisted off the cap and had a few swallows of the cold water, all the time looking from one to the other of them. "So,
everything's all right with you two, then?"
"What do you care?" Stuart said, coldly. Vince pressed against him from behind.
Nathan actually looked wounded by the remark. He frowned and looked down, sheepishly. "Stuart, I'm sorry about how I was at
Babylon. I was pissed off at Vince being so bloody bossy. Took it out on you."
Stuart said nothing. He felt like a spell was being woven around him and he didn't want to disrupt the delicate construction of it.
He pressed back against Vince's body, slightly surprised at the length and heat of his lover's erection. Vince was very aroused.
Stuart nuzzled his soft ear, running his tongue along the tender lobe slowly.
Vince sighed and his eyes slid closed momentarily, but they didn't stay closed. He focused on Nathan with an intent gaze. "Stuart
and I were just about to shag," he said, evenly. "Would you like to watch?"
Stuart froze, leaning back just slightly so he could make eye contact with Vince--but Vince didn't look at him. He continued to
watch Nathan. And his cock throbbed against the back of Stuart's left thigh.
Glancing over at the boy, Stuart tried to keep his expression cool, impartial. But inside, he was fighting not to crack up laughing-- hysterical, nervous laughter, mind, but laughter nonetheless. Nathan seemed to be considering the offer, chewing his full bottom lip
thoughtfully.
"What are the consequences?" Nathan asked.
"None whatsoever," Vince replied. "All I'm offering is to have you watch, Nathan. You can't touch him."
Suddenly, Stuart felt lightheaded and he realized he'd been holding his breath. He took a long, deep breath then let it out, turning
around to wriggle up on the counter again. He leaned back on the flat surface, propping up on his bent elbows so he could look
back at Vince. He pulled his lover forward with his feet around Vince's hips and he smiled, seductively. This game definitely had
Stuart's attention.
Nathan's eyes combed Stuart's prone body hungrily. He licked his lips as his focus landed on the full, swollen cock straining
against Stuart's trousers.
"Well?" Vince said, his hands stroking over Stuart's thighs and heading for his zipper.
Gulping slightly, Nathan's cheeks flushed with color. "I'll watch," he said. "Yeah."
Vince unzipped Stuart's fly and opened the fabric, pushing it back and out of the way. Reaching into the flap in his Calvin's, he
freed the tense erection there and stroked it with his hand--never taking his eyes off Nathan.
"Can you smell him?" Vince asked the boy.
"Yes," Nathan said, his tongue caressing over his lips repeatedly.
Stuart sucked air in through his teeth and trembled slightly, his hips lifting into Vince's touch. The tension in the room was about to
drive him insane and he wished he knew what his lover was planning. But all he could do was wait and be an uninformed
participant.
Vince ran his fingertips over Stuart's wet cock, gathering the drops of slippery pre-come at the head. He leaned forward and
extended his hand to Nathan, offering those wet fingers for the boy to taste. As he watched this unbelievable scene transpire,
Stuart's heart beat so fast and hard, he felt certain the other two could hear it. He watched mesmerized as Nathan parted his
beautiful lips and took Vince's fingers into his mouth, gently sucking them clean.
A small, crafty smile tugged Vince's lips as he drew his fingers back and returned that hand to Stuart's cock. He spread Nathan's
saliva on the swollen, sensitive head, teasing the slit very gently with his short nail. Stuart didn't know what to do or say so he
chose to do nothing and to stay silent. This was Vince's show and he was happy to be a spectator. A spectator that would clearly
get to come really hard.
"Come here, luv," Vince said to Stuart, taking his arms and guiding him off the counter. He walked Stuart across the room to the
brown leather couch, glancing back to gesture for Nathan to follow.
The boy came to the lounge slowly, carrying his water bottle and slipping down into one of the fuzzy beanbag chairs beside the
television. From there, he was directly across from them but a bit too far away to touch. Perhaps he preferred that, considering
the intensity of the situation.
Vince undressed his lover slowly, tossing his clothing aside. Once Stuart was naked, Vince laid him down on the couch and
propped his head up with pillows. Standing back a bit, Vince surveyed his prone lover as though he were a fine work of art. He
looked at Nathan who was doing the same and smiled.
"Lovely, isn't he?" Vince asked.
"Gorgeous," was the whispered reply.
Stuart sighed, almost purring from desire. His skin tingled and hummed and he all but rolled around in the adoring attention he was
getting. His belly was wet with pre-come and he touched his cock with his fingers, stroking all the tingling, sensitive parts just
enough to make himself moan from the pleasure. Feeling both their eyes on him was almost too much stimulation and he had to
catch his breath. He knew he'd be scolded if he continued masturbating anyway, so he stopped, stretching his arms over his head
and sighing luxuriantly. He was warm all over like he'd just slipped into a bath. Watching Vince through pleasure-heavy eyelids,
Stuart could only smile.
Vince took off his shirt and then his trousers, getting himself naked quickly and without ceremony. He knelt on the couch between
Stuart's legs and lifted his hips like he always did, supporting his lower back briefly on the top of his strong thigh. Once again he
looked over at Nathan who was breathlessly watching them.
"Nathan," Vince said.
The boy gulped again and looked at Vince, cautiously. "Yeah?"
"Go up to the bedroom and get me the bottle of lube in the night table. You remember where it is, don't you?"
Nathan blinked and didn't budge for a second and then he shook his head slightly and got up. His big, hard cock stretched the
fabric of his khaki trousers but he didn't seem to care that they could see it. Walking across the room to the bedroom, he went up
to the nightable and opened the drawer.
Stuart watched all this while lying on his back on the couch, his legs draped over Vince's shoulders, his arms over his head. Vince
rubbed his cock gently while they waited and Stuart could have died of bliss right then. The situation was completely mad and he
was loving every second of it. Every nerve was alive and sparking and his thoughts--such as they were--were going a mile a
minute. He was high on adrenaline and lack of blood to his brain. Being the object of all this carnal desire suited Stuart Alan Jones
just fine.
Nathan returned with his prize and brought it to the couch. His hungry gaze traveled all over both their bodies and he looked up at
Vince's face as he handed him the little bottle.
"Look at you," Nathan said, appreciatively. "You have a beautiful cock."
Vince didn't really smile, he just sort of physically accepted the compliment with a slight nod and a long, slow blink. "Why don't
you sit right there, Nathan," he said, nodding to the spot where the kid stood. "You can smell Stuart better from there. But don't
you dare touch him, do you hear me? I'll put you right out on the street."
"I hear," Nathan said, his long, coltish legs all but collapsing under him as he sat. Now he was only a few feet from them sitting on the floor beside the couch. His eyes seemed to stroke Stuart's body and he sighed, longingly. "God . . ." he breathed. "I'm going
to come just from seeing you like that . . ."
Stuart looked at his lover and stuck out his bottom lip, pouting, pleading with his eyes.
Vince arched an eyebrow. "What? You can't touch him, Stuart. Forget it. Nathan can have a wank and you can watch, but if you
lay one hand on him, I'll break both your legs." He kissed the insides of Stuart's thighs to punctuate his point and then he squeezed
a generous amount of lube onto his fingers.
Stuart turned to Nathan again who was watching him ravenously. "Show me, Nathan," he purred. "Come with me at the same
time. Can you wait?"
Shaking his head slightly, Nathan breathed in and out rapidly. "Dunno. This is so . . . I wish I could have fucked you," he said
almost under his breath. "I would have loved to feel my cock inside you . . ."
Stuart just grinned, wolfishly and licked his lips. The combined tastes of his lover and Nathan made him shiver again and his
fingers toyed with his sensitive nipples.
Two of Vince's fingers slid inside Stuart's body and began gently stroking in and out of his hot, willing opening. His cock bucked
against his taught belly and he shuddered, groaning like a wounded animal. Closing his eyes, Stuart sighed deeply, reaching down
to hold on to Vince's wrists.
Vince wriggled his right hand free of his lover's grasp and leaned toward Nathan. Once again, Vince extended his wet fingers to
the boy-- the fingers that had just been inside Stuart's body--but that time he simply spread a line of the warm lube over the skin
right under Nathan's nose.
"Oh my God . . ." Stuart heard himself say, his cock almost exploding right then. He had no idea what had gotten into Vince, but
he was loving it.
Nathan inhaled the musky scent in the slick smear Vince's touch left on his face. Quivering, he dabbed his tongue up and just
barely tasted the glistening line of fluid with the tip of it. His hands worked frantically on his fly and he hauled his thick, pulsing
cock out of his trousers. Tugging on it madly, he wanked himself so hard it looked like it hurt.
"I'd wait if I were you," Vince said, calmly. He stroked Stuart's thighs with his warm hands and then he tilted his hips and slid his
cock inside. "It'll only be a second . . ."
Stuart's head rolled off the edge of the couch with the force of being impaled and he watched Nathan in that upside position as the
boy all but yanked his orgasm out of his cock. Shaking from head to toe, Stuart came instantly--the contractions racking him so
hard he actually screamed. He squeezing Vince's legs with his fingers until his arms started to tremble.
A few short pumps and Vince was coming as well, emptying his balls into that shuddering, well-slicked canal of flesh. Stuart felt
flooded inside, wet and slippery and hot. He rubbed his cock, milking the last of his semen, his head spinning slightly from the
depth of the contractions. The orgasm felt like it came from somewhere so deep inside him, he was almost surprised he hadn't
ejaculated blood.
Still gasping, Vince pulled out gently then laid down on top of Stuart, resting his head on his lover's heaving belly. He looked at
Nathan who was still sitting there with his spent cock in his hand. The boy watched him warily, no doubt quite certain he was
about to be dismissed.
"You came to apologize?" Vince asked, his voice raw from breathing hard.
"Yeah," Nathan said, his brow wrinkling just slightly.
"Well, you've done that. Now you can go." Vince turned his head away and faced the back of the couch, closing his eyes and
relaxing against Stuart's body.
Nathan looked at him and his young blue eyes were wide, wondering. He looked like he was going to say something, but Stuart
just sighed and cuddled against Vince on the couch. His eyelids felt like they were made of cement and he wanted nothing more
than to sleep. Reaching up, he pulled down the chenille throw blanket draped over the couch and covered Vince's back with it.
Vaguely Stuart was aware of Nathan getting up and collecting himself, then he heard the front door open and creak closed. That
was all he remembered from that night as he and Vince fell asleep almost immediately.
* * *
Vince:
He woke up late on Sunday morning, his body feeling heavy and rested. Turning under the comforter, he wondered how he'd
gotten into bed. He remembered falling asleep on the couch after that intense session with Nathan Maloney in the room, but he
didn't remember coming into the bedroom. Sitting up, he looked around the flat through the glass wall, his ears straining to hear
any sounds. All was oddly quiet.
"Stuart?"
The lovely brunette appeared in the doorway of the bedroom, dressed only in his silky pajama bottoms. His long curls were
beautifully disarrayed and he looked flushed and rested. He was holding the chenille blanket from the couch.
Vince smiled at him adoringly. "What are you doing?"
"I was cold," he said, crawling onto the bed with the blanket. He spread it over the comforter then slipped under the blankets next
to Vince.
"Come here, then," Vince said. He pulled the blankets over them and snuggled against Stuart's silky, warm body, pulling him close. "When did we come to bed?"
"I brought you in here just after it got light. You were pretty much walking in your sleep. Must have worn you out being such a
dictator." Stuart giggled against him, playfully tickling his side.
"Oi!" Vince warned, flinching.
Cuddling, Stuart sighed deeply. "I couldn't believe you last night. I kept wanting to ask you who you were and what you'd done
with Vince."
Vince chuckled.
"I thought you hated Nathan," Stuart said.
"You always say that. I never said I hated him, I just wish he wasn't around all the time. I wish he would get obsessed with
someone else. You're MY lover. I want him to get over you."
Stuart didn't say anything for a while and Vince could feel his heartbeat pick up slightly. He was thinking of something that upset
him. Looking up into the stormy blue eyes, Vince placed a kiss on the skin right over that beating heart.
"You scared me," Stuart said.
Nodding slowly, Vince offered a tiny smile. "Yeah. Twice."
Stuart looked away. "I thought you were saying you . . . wanted to break up."
"I know you did. I could tell you were thinking that." Vince sat up so they could see each other more easily, leaning on his elbows
below the pillows. "I'd never seen that expression on your face before. I never would have thought that was there."
"What do you mean?"
Smiling a bit sadly, Vince shook his head. "You tell me you love me all the time and you give me all your affection and everything,
but you never really . . . you've never told anyone you needed them." He looked in Stuart's eyes. "That's what was there in that
expression last night. I never thought I'd see that in my entire life."
Stuart rolled his eyes. "How could you think I don't need you? I've always needed you--probably since that first day back in
school. But I don't want to need you so badly that I don't let anyone else in. It would be very easy for me to just saturate myself
with you. To have no one else in my life but you. I just . . . don't think that's good for me."
Vince sighed. "I don't want you to do that, either. I know you think I can't stand Kate, but that's not it at all. It was just that she
made me realize all the ways our relationship has changed as a result of us being lovers. It just made me miss being your best
friend."
"Which is completely stupid, because you never stopped being my best friend. You just started to get some interesting perks," he
giggled, devilishly.
"Ha, ha," Vince said. "You're getting perks, too."
"You bet I am. You surprise me all the time, Vince. Granted, not as drastically as LAST night, but you're very careful to keep my
interest. Don't think I'm unaware of your efforts in that area."
"Can't have you getting bored," he said softly, flirting a bit.
Stuart shook his head. "Christ, I almost passed out last night!"
"You were hyperventilating a bit."
"I couldn't believe that! You were . . . incredible." He batted his eyes in that sexy, coy way he always did when he was trying to
cop off with someone. Vince almost burst with happiness having that expression directed at him. Still, even after eight months,
Stuart's flirtatious attention made Vince feel like a god.
"I really enjoyed myself," Stuart concluded.
"I spotted that, yeah." Leaning over, Vince kissed his lover deeply, wrapping his arms around him and holding him tight.
Against his shoulder, Stuart said, "so, what's forward?"
Vince took a deep breath, then nuzzled Stuart's satiny shoulder. "Dunno. I think I'm hoping there's some more solid ground out
there. Less reason for me to worry."
"I thought you said you were done worrying."
"Yeah, I said that. But we both know it's shit. Besides, that's why we connected in the first place. You like to get into trouble and
break things and I like to worry and fix things. If I wasn't worrying, I'd probably go mad."
After a long pause, Stuart said. "If you weren't worrying about me, I'd start to think you didn't care."
Pressing a kiss against Stuart's temple, Vince sighed. "I know that, luv."
* * * Stuart:
"Eight o'clock is too bloody early to fly," Stuart complained. He stood in line at the check in counter with Kate that Monday
morning, shivering in his overcoat. She put her arms around him and hugged him close to her, trying to warm him up.
"I know, bunny. Thanks for coming with me."
He kissed her forehead and hugged her back. "What am I going to do without you?"
"You won't be without me long. Just come to New York. Come next week. Richard is traveling and I'll be on my own. Come and
play with me."
"I can't come over that quickly," Stuart said. "Especially now. Vince needs my attention."
"He feels neglected, doesn't he?" she said, frowning. "I totally monopolized you for a month. I feel bad."
"It's nothing to do with you. Not personally, anyway. He's just . . . we just need to make some adjustments. Clear some space.
We'll be fine."
Kate put her head on his chest and breathed a shaky sigh. She would be crying soon. "I'm going to try not to ball my eyes out but
I know it won't work. I'll miss you so much, Stuey."
Hugging her, he felt his own eyes stinging with tears. "Me, too, Katey-girl."
* * *
Vince:
His mobile rang as he was walking down the bread aisle at the store later that day. Taking it out of his pocket, Vince glanced at
the display then pressed the button to answer.
"Hello, lover," he said.
"Hiya." Stuart was in his car, most likely going to lunch or something. The sound of air rushing by the windows and the faint beat
of music on the radio cluttered the background of the call.
"Did you send Kate off all right?"
"Yeah," he said, his sad tone clearly indicated that he didn't want to talk about it. "So, Vince?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell me what you did this weekend. Anything interesting?"
Smiling so hard his cheeks hurt, Vince started into the dishy story of how he and his sexy boyfriend played naughty games with a fifteen- year-old on Saturday night.
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