FicWad

Disclaimer: Not mine, no money made.
Note I: In response to the Live Journal PRSW 22 challenge, themes #09, hallways and #15, peace
Note II: Did I say "three-parter" last chapter? sigh This has now officially reached four parts. (I would've had to cut this installment in half anyway to post at LJ due to length, but dammit, I wanted it to be finished!) Yeah well, the best-laid plans of plotbunnies and woman … Whatever, right? Anyway, I told myself 'what the heck' and decided to post what I did manage to get done. – So here you go, folks. Enjoy, and please pass by the feedback box on your way out?

More Than Friends And Brothers
Chapter 19: Homecoming, Pt. 3

Tommy took Jason's call that night with a feeling of profound relief; his report seemed to indicate that his lover had at least managed to mend some fences with his mother. And yet he quite clearly heard the note of sadness at John's continuing silence in Jason's deep voice. He wanted to hold him, to soothe and protect him if necessary – but how could he do that when they were nearly two hundred miles apart? Rubbing his neck, Tommy continued to listen as he absently stared at the tarp now covering what used to be the back wall of their living room. The construction crew had stacked their tools neatly at one side before leaving for the weekend; work wouldn't resume until two days hence. Meanwhile, he was stuck here in Reefside while Jason was sitting alone in a hotel room in Angel Grove when he was not at the hospital.

It'd be so much better if we could keep each other company! Only, Jase won't leave yet, and I can't very well just show up there …

Suddenly, Tommy's eyes opened wide. Why the hell not?!?

There really was no reason why he couldn't drive to Angel Grove and be with Jason, was there? Sure, it was a long trip either way for just one night, but they'd done it often enough in the past – and it would be worth it to be together.

Barely waiting for Jason to finish speaking, Tommy was already making plans. "Bro – I just had an idea. What do you say I come to Angel Grove tomorrow?" he suggested with barely-concealed eagerness. "You sound as if you could use some company."

"Well, yeah, but … what about the building work?"

"The plumbing's all done, the new foundation poured; the crew won't be back until Monday, so I'm free to go. I'm really not needed here."

"Tom …"

"Besides, I miss you," Tommy added persuasively, letting his genuine longing show in his voice – along with a subtle hint of sexual frustration. He realized that Jason might well be too preoccupied to make love, but even if all they did was hold each other and sleep, it had to be better than both of them being lonely, right?

Back in his hotel room in Angel Grove, Jason smiled to himself as he recognized the husky undertone. He knew exactly how Tommy felt – because he was feeling the same way! Then, he sighed. As much as he wished his lover at his side, it just wouldn't work. Not with the way his days were scheduled around visits with his mother.

"Bro, I love you for even thinking about coming. But … can I ask you to stay home? Please?"

"Why? Don't you want me there with you?" Puzzled and a little hurt, Tommy sank into the nearest chair.

"Want, definitely. I'd like nothing better. But Tom …what would you do while I'm at the hospital with Mom? I want to be with her as much as I can; I'd really have no time for you. Not enough to make the trip worthwhile for you, anyway. And no offense, but I don't believe she's ready yet for you to come along with me." He paused and drew a deep breath. "I don't even want to think about what Dad might say if he saw us together in her room. That could get … awkward, to say the least. "

"Like whoa, to quote my students," Tommy acknowledged with a sigh as his enthusiasm deflated like a pricked balloon. Of course, he could visit his parents when Jason was at the hospital, but since there was no way of telling exactly when Jason could be with Helen or had to wait for John to leave, they would probably end up playing tag all day. Jason also didn't need something else to worry about, like if he was neglecting his lover. "Damn. I hate to admit it, but you're right."

"Sorry."

"No need to be. – Got any specific plans for tomorrow and Sunday?"

"No – I'll have to see how the weekend goes for Mom. If she continues to improve, they'll start her back on radiation next week; she won't have time or energy for visitors then and I'll be able to leave without feeling too bad. I really wish it made sense for you to come, but it doesn't. I'm sorry," Jason murmured, genuinely regretful.

"Forget it. I just hadn't thought things through. It sucks, but them's the breaks."

"Yeah. Thanks for not getting mad."

"Hey, you usually give me better reasons to get mad at you than this," Tommy teased, determinedly tamping down on his disappointment. "Besides, you can always make it up to me when you come back."

"Hmm. I'll think of something suitable," Jason promised with a low, intimate laugh that sent a shiver of anticipation down Tommy's spine.

"Can't wait." Knowing his lover's fertile imagination and sometimes slightly kinky streak, Tommy stifled an anticipatory moan with difficulty. "Just take care, will you?"

"Always. I have too much to come back to," Jason replied huskily. "Talk again soon?"

"Whenever you can tomorrow," Tommy agreed. "Sleep well."

"You, too."

During the course of the following day, however, Jason more than once came to regret turning down Tommy's offer. He'd forgotten that his father worked only until lunchtime on Saturdays, which pretty much ruled an afternoon visit out. Somehow, word of his mother's improved condition had gotten out, and several friends, neighbors and acquaintances phoned or dropped by the hospital all morning to see how she was doing, which made things even worse. All in all, he barely had one undisturbed hour alone with Helen in the morning – and once John arrived, he knew that there would be no chance to be with her until the evening, if then.

With several hours unexpectedly on his hands, Jason decided to drive down to the ocean. He wanted nothing but to sit and think at a secluded spot, but with school out for the summer in Angel Grove as well, the beach was fairly crowded and it wasn't easy to find the quiet solitude he longed for. Finally he managed, though, and let the eternal rhythm of the gently-rolling waves soothe him. The sky above the horizon was streaked in a glorious symphony of red and gold by the setting sun when he returned to the hospital at last. As he'd hoped, Helen's room was now empty of visitors, and she greeted him with a smile.

"You poor boy – did you find something to do all day? I hadn't expected so many people," she apologized.

"No worries; I was at the beach," Jason replied easily. "One of my old favorite spots. Made me feel quite nostalgic."

"Well, things should be quiet again come next week," Helen remarked. "Reverend Sanders has asked if he can look in after church tomorrow, and possibly a few women from my volunteer group will come by, too."

Shit. From the looks of it, Sunday will be even busier than today. He hid his dismay at the prospect of having to waste another day dodging visitors. And I can't stand all those nosy questions they're wont to ask, either!

"Meaning you'll be too busy for me, huh?" he tried to tease.

"Well … yes, but we can have a nice chat when I'm back from radiation therapy on Monday afternoon."

"Oh – have they decided to resume treatment next week, then? Isn't that kinda early?" Damn and double-damn. Weekday mornings were the only times I could be sure not to run into Dad!

"Dr. Gonzales thinks the sooner, the better. And if I don't get so sick again, I can continue the treatments at a rehab clinic." Helen pulled a face. "Everybody else gets to do chemo as an outpatient, or just by staying overnight. Why do I have to be cooped up in a hospital?"

"Everybody else doesn't have the same violent reaction to the treatment as you did," Jason reminded her. "No wonder they want to keep you under close observation."

"Hmph." Helen pouted. "You're not supposed to be more reasonable than I am, you know that? Who's the parent here, anyway, and since when are you going all mature on me?"

Jason laughed. "Hey, you brought me up like this. It's all your own fault!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I made a mistake," Helen grumbled, then joined in his laughter. "Or maybe not," she added more softly. "You turned out pretty okay overall, if I do say so myself."

"Thanks – I think."

They were interrupted by one of the nurses who brought a mild sedative to help Helen sleep through the night. Jason waited until she was done, but instead of being able to resume the conversation, he was politely but firmly asked to leave. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over. We have some very sick patients here, and we can't have their rest disturbed."

"We'd be quiet," he protested, to no avail.

"Hospital policy. Sorry."

With a helpless shrug, Jason and Helen resigned themselves to the inevitable and he wished his mother a good night.

Back at his hotel, though, he took a long, hard look at the situation and how it was likely to develop over the next few days. He didn't want to hang around for hours each day with nothing to do, as he'd done today. During the past week it hadn't mattered, because it was a touch-and-go situation and he needed to be there if his mother had suddenly made a turn for the worse. Thankfully, that hadn't happened; Helen was out of danger now – but that increased the likelihood that his father would visit more frequently, too.

We're inevitably going to run each other more often – and I dunno how much longer I can stand his indifference and hostility, Jason thought as he lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Not when I don't have anyplace else to go and no work to distract me. And how long Dad can stand having me around without exploding is anyone's guess.

There was no way he'd risk a serious confrontation with his father. According to Helen, John's heart condition hadn't improved, and Jason didn't want to tempt fate. The longer he stayed, however, the greater the probability that an already volatile situation would explode into everybody's faces.

Which leaves me with exactly one choice.

It was one of the hardest decisions Jason ever had to make, but he felt it was the right one. With a heavy heart, he tried to fall asleep at last.

*

After a restless night, he slipped into his mother's room just as she finished her breakfast – the first solid food she'd been allowed for days. Helen's face was scrunched up with barely-concealed disgust as she chewed, but as soon as Jason sat down, she pushed the tray aside and wished him a cheery good morning.

"Aren't you going to finish that?" he wanted to know. "You need to eat, or you'll never get your strength back!"

"What strength? From plain white bread with no crust and barely a teaspoon of low-fat cream cheese? You're kidding, right?" she harumphed. "They won't even let me have coffee!"

"Herbal tea is good for you; at least it's got a little taste to it." Jason grinned. He knew his mother's breakfast preferences usually ran along more savory lines.

"Funny definition of 'taste' you have," Helen muttered.

"It's got to be better than getting fed by tube."

"Not by much!" She shook her head. "Ah, who cares – you're not here to discuss my so-called diet, or rather the lack of it. What brings you here so early?"

Whatever good mood Jason had had made way to seriousness. He took Helen's hand. "I wanted to say good-bye in private," he murmured, his eyes and voice filled with regret.

Helen's smile vanished. "What?"

Jason sighed. If only he knew how to soften the blow! "I'm going home, Mom."

She stared at her son. "Today?"

"Yes."

"But … but why? I was looking forward to spending more time with you now that I'm getting better – we haven't seen each other for so long," she protested.

"You know why," Jason said quietly. "Think about it, Mom – you said yourself last night that you'll be getting lots of visitors today. Between your friends and Dad, how much time would be left for us – for /me/?" The confusion and hurt in the blue eyes made Jason squirm guiltily inside, so he steeled himself to give his mother the real reason behind his decision. "To tell the truth, I'm tired of having to leave every time Dad comes to see you. He's made it very clear that doesn't want me around. I might as well be invisible to him, for all that he shows he even knows I exist."

Helen blanched. Deep down, she'd known why Jason had made the decision to leave, but there was still hope that John would come around eventually, wasn't there? Provided Jason was there to change his father's attitude! But a glance at the determined face showed her that Jason wasn't going to budge on this.

"Don't hate him," she begged without thinking, only to blush with embarrassment when he looked at her, a silent rebuke in the dark eyes.

"I don't," Jason said, then inhaled deeply. Maybe it was time to tell his family what their rejection had done to him. "Quite the opposite, no matter what Dad might think." He paused briefly to collect his thoughts, then went on. "I was hurt when Dad literally turned his back on me … and when you took his side so completely. I went through hell because of it; if I hadn't had help from Tommy and a couple of good friends, I don't know if I'd been able to come back out relatively sane. I'm not going to put myself through all of that again just because Dad can't accept me for who and what I am. Frankly, Mom – I owe it to myself not to let him treat me that way any longer. Not if I want to have some pride left."

Jason swallowed to moisten his dry throat and to get rid of the lump that had formed there when he started his explanation. He'd said the same things to Tommy years ago, but it was different, harder somehow to tell his mother. "What's more, I refuse to put Tommy through that same hell a second time. I love you and Dad, but I also love Tommy. Neither is going to change, and if Dad can't live with that, tough deal. I came back because I'd heard from Rachel Oliver that you were seriously ill – and before you ask, yes, I had hoped that just maybe Dad would find it in himself to change his position for your sake. From what I've seen this week, though, he hasn't – and I have no place here anymore. It's not what I want, but it sure looks as if it's the way it has to be."

"What if … what if I talked to your father?" she offered weakly in an attempt to change Jason's mind.

"You could have done that any time in the past four years," Jason replied calmly, amazingly without rancor, and she winced guiltily.

Yes, I could – I should have done so. "Believe me, I tried – in the beginning, anyway," Helen murmured, blushing. "But he got so worked up each time I started to, I couldn't risk upsetting him even more because of his uncertain heart condition. Then I thought to let some time pass, let your father calm down and try again at the right moment, but …"

"But the right time never came, did it?" Jason finished. "Why do you think I waited so long to tell you about my orientation?" His fleeting smile made Helen feel even worse. He had every right to be bitter and angry; she counted it as a small miracle that she could detect no trace of it in his expression.

"No, it didn't," she admitted in a small voice, feeling tears well up. She gulped them down with an effort. "I don't want to lose you, Jason!"

"You'll never lose me, Mom." Jason reached into his shirt pocket and handed his mother an envelope he'd taken from his hotel. "In here's my address, email, phone and cell numbers – even my 'net handle if you ever want to look me up online." He named the chat program he and Tommy regularly used to meet with their friends. "Contact me whenever you want, or can."

"But I need you …"

"No, you don't," he contradicted her gently. "You only think you do because you still haven't fully recovered. Just wait; once you're done with rehab, you'll go back to your life and everything will be back to normal."

It's not normal that I have no contact with my only child just because my husband can't accept his choice of life partner! The rebellious thought remained outspoken, though, when Jason got up and kissed her cheek.

"I've got to go, Mom. It's a long drive, and I'd rather remember your face on the drive home than Dad's disapproval. Get well soon – and if you need me, you'll know where to find me, okay? Just remember I love you."

"I love you too, baby," Helen choked, clinging to Jason until he gently but firmly pried her fingers from his hand.

"I'll remember that." He gave his mother a last hug and kiss, then went to the door. Just before he left, he turned one more time. "Good-bye, Mom."

With a final smile and wave, Jason was gone. All Helen could do was watch him stride down the hallway until the tears she no longer could suppress started to fall.

*

Half an hour later, the senior Scott arrived at the hospital to find his wife still weeping quietly, clutching the envelope Jason had given her. She looked exhausted and seriously upset, making him forget all the get-well wishes friends and family had told him to convey as he immediately rushed to her bed.

"Nell? What's wrong? Are you having a relapse, or did the doctor give you bad news?"

"N-no," she sobbed.

"Then what are you crying for?" he asked, relief that she seemed okay mixing with incomprehension.

"He's left, John," Helen wept, grief and guilt overcoming her again. "H-he said I don't need him anymore, but I do! I do!"

Puzzled, John frowned. He'd passed the oncologist at the nurse's station, and he hadn't said anything beyond a distracted hello. "Dr. Gonzales is leaving?"

"Not my /doctor/, John," Helen hiccupped. "I'm talking about /Jason/!"

"Oh." His lack of response and visible closing-off succeeded in drying Helen's tears like nothing else could have. Sniffling, she glared at her husband. Really, how dense can he be?

"Yes, 'oh'," she muttered, wiping her cheeks. She was feeling decidedly shattered and not really up to a confrontation, but … slowly, anger began to grow within her, drowning out her guilt and sorrow. Oh, the heck with it! It's past time I said what I feel. I've followed John's way long enough – now it's time to follow my heart! Jabbing the button that would elevate her bed into a sitting position, she fixed her husband with a determined stare.

"John, I want you to listen to me – I'm really not feeling well today, and that has nothing to do with my cancer, or the chemo. But it has everything to do with the fact that I just let my son, our only child/, walk away from us a second time just because /you can't live with the fact that he's not perfect!"

"What?" John had expected a lot of things, but not a tirade of the sort Helen had just given him. Only three days ago she'd been at death's door, sick, weak and helpless – and it should take days, or weeks, until she was well enough to get so worked up over /anything/! "Helen, I-"

"Don't 'Helen' me," she interrupted, eyes blazing and her cheeks turning from pale to red. "I didn't say much four years ago because I feared for your health if I continued to beg you to relent – but you managed just fine when I almost died, didn't you? Well, if your heart can stand that strain, you can darned well stand to hear what I should've told you right then." She drew a deep breath.

"At our wedding, I promised to honor, love and obey you – and I've done so for almost forty years. Haven't I?"

He gaped in stunned surprise, and Helen felt a wicked satisfaction when she saw his expression. "Answer me, John!"

"Y-yes, yes you have," he stammered. "But …"

"No buts; I'm not finished! What I never promised, though, was that I'd turn my back on my child – even if he made choices I find hard to understand or have a hard time approving." Helen wearily shook her head and leaned back against her pillow, forcing herself to calm down. "Look, I'm not saying that I'm entirely happy about the way Jason chose to live his life," she went on, then snorted. "Oh heck, I might as well call a spade a spade. Our son is bisexual, in love with another man, and is living with him."

John flinched at the bald statement, but Helen ignored him.

"I don't understand why or how, maybe I never will, but it's his choice, and he's happy/. That's all I ever really wanted for Jason. He's successful in his career, he is an honorable man, and even though we hurt him when we all but kicked him out, he doesn't hate us. What more do we – do /you – want?"

"I want him to be /normal/," John blurted, getting angry. "Not some … some deviant who has to hide from people and is laughed at behind his back!"

"He's not a deviant! He didn't choose to be bisexual, and Tommy didn't make him so. If anything, he was born with this … this inclination, and there's nothing you, I or anyone else can do about it! Get real, John – do you really care more about what people might say than about our son?" Barely hiding her irritation, Helen forced herself not to shout. "Besides, I don't think anyone has ever laughed at Jason," she said. "Surely his students wouldn't like him so much if they did." Briefly, she told John about Jason's award.

"That's probably because nobody knows," he muttered, unwilling to accept that Jason's life was, indeed, 'normal' by anyone's standards.

"Jason and Tommy don't make a secret out of their relationship. They may not be into gay activism, but they're definitely not in hiding, either, as you seem to think!"

John nearly choked at Helen's use of the word 'gay'. "Don't tell me that doesn't create problems!"

"None that I know of. Their bosses and colleagues are aware they're a couple, and nobody seems to care who they sleep with as long as they do their jobs. Apparently, our son does his extremely well, too!"

"And you believe him?!?"

"Jason has never lied to me," Helen said quietly. "Not about anything this serious." She let that sink in for a few moments, then touched her husband's arm and continued more softly. "John – I almost died. If there is one thing I've learned from this, it's that I don't want to live the rest of my life with regrets. The one thing I regret most is that during the last four years I pushed Jason away from me for no good reason."

"And what, exactly, do you expect me to do about it?" John visibly controlled the temper he'd passed on to his son. His voice had turned cool and indifferent on the surface, but Helen heard an undertone of doubt and defensiveness that gave her a faint hope that he wasn't quite as adamant as he tried to appear. She chose her next words with care.

"Nothing that you're not willing to do, John. I expect nothing," she repeated. "I just want my son back. Just so you know, as soon as I'm able, I will contact Jason. I hope that he'll let me call, or even visit him now and again; if that means dealing with Tommy, too, so be it."

Suddenly tired, she turned her head aside and lowered her bed back into a reclining position, only to glance back at John a minute later, a determined expression on her once again pale face. "Don't try to change my mind about this, John; it won't work. Jason is my child, I love him, and I want him to be a part of my life again, not waste more time on arguments and recriminations. It's up to you to decide whether you want to be a part of that, too." With that, she closed her eyes and fell asleep a short while later, exhausted from the emotional roller-coaster she'd been on.

John Scott was left sitting silently, his mind in turmoil, mulling over things he'd refused to listen to until this very day.

*


It was lunchtime when Jason pulled into the driveway at 1992 Valencia Road; he'd called ahead from a rest stop an hour ago, and Tommy was sitting at the bench table on the front porch, waiting for him. He stood, waiting for Jason to lock his car and climb the few steps.

"Welcome home," he smiled.

Jason dropped his bag and went directly into his lover's arms. "Don't say anything," he requested, his voice weary. "Just hold me?"

"Sure." Slightly worried, Tommy complied as he wrapped one arm around Jason's waist, the other around his shoulders. Jason followed suit, rested his head against Tommy's neck and sighed softly, his breath warm on Tommy's skin. After a couple of minutes, Tommy began to rub slow, soothing circles on the broad back, noting with relief that the powerful muscles, while tense, weren't half as knotted as he'd feared.

Nothing more than you could expect after a long drive and a week of mostly sitting in a hospital chair. Whew.

At last, the tight hold Jason had on him relaxed; he inhaled deeply once and finally raised his head to kiss Tommy lightly on the lips. "Thanks," he murmured. "I needed that."

"Anytime," Tommy smiled back. Lowering his arms, he left one around Jason's hips as if to reassure himself that Jason was truly back. Slowly walking inside, they stopped in the hallway, and Tommy gestured vaguely towards the living room. "So … wanna tell me all the gory details you didn't want to mention on the phone?"

We can sit on the couch where I can touch and see him at the same time; where I'll be right beside him if he needs comforting …

However, his well-meant plan for a cozy one-on-one talk flew right out the window when Jason shook his head no.

"Let me get showered and changed first, okay? And maybe you can whip up something to eat while I'm unpacking?"

"Sure," Tommy replied, a little taken aback by the refusal. Was Jason going to withdraw into himself again like he'd done four years ago? He obviously wasn't shrinking from his touch, but Tommy had a feeling they needed to talk about what had happened in Angel Grove. "If that's what you want …"

Jason gave his lover a fleeting grin. "Right now, yes." Then he chuckled at the skeptical look Tommy couldn't quite mask. "Don't get your pants in a twist, Tom. I am going to tell you everything that's happened, but I really want that shower – and I'm really, really hungry!"

Laughing sheepishly, Tommy shrugged. "Oh, okay, But don't blame me for worrying."

"I don't; it's kinda cute." Gently disentangling himself from the light hold they still had on each other, Jason winked at Tommy's mock-outraged sputter and went towards the staircase. "Be back in a few minutes."

Shaking his head in fond exasperation, Tommy went to the kitchen to heat up some bread and throw together a nutritious salad-with-everything over pre-cooked bits of turkey meat. It would be better than the endless sandwiches Jason had had during the past week and light enough for lunch; they could eat something more substantial at night. A quick rummage through the freezer procured a bowl of chili, and he set it out to thaw.

By the time Jason came back downstairs in loose shorts and a t-shirt, Tommy had also started the coffee machine, located Jason's favorite blue-cheese dressing and was pouring cold drinks. "Oh, that's perfect. Thanks!"

Both men sat down and began to eat in companionable silence; when they were done, Jason filled two mugs with coffee and carried them outside. Comfortably seated on the shaded porch at last, he began to tell Tommy all the details he'd left out of his nightly reports.

"… and that's when I left," he sighed, finished at last. "Mom probably wasn't very happy, especially as I hadn't given her any warning I was leaving, but … it's the way things played out. I couldn't go through another day like yesterday, and she'll have to concentrate on her therapy next week anyway. I'd just be in the way."

"I bet it wasn't an easy decision for you to make, though," Tommy surmised.

"It wasn't. But I had to."

"Yeah, I guess you did." Pouring the last of the coffee, Tommy sat back and sipped the cooling liquid, watching Jason from half-closed eyes. He looked relaxed enough, but his face had a rather pensive expression. "How do you feel about having told your Mom why you were really leaving again?"

Jason sighed. "A little guilty, to tell the truth. She's not the one who needed to hear that stuff; I really ought to have said it to Dad. But as he's still ignoring me … it felt kinda, well, liberating to get it off my chest at last."

"If I know your Mom, she'll make sure your father gets to hear a lot eventually," Tommy commented with a slightly vicious smirk. He wasn't all that sorry that Helen had had to face at last what her inaction had cost her son– and in his entirely biased opinion, John deserved every bit of blame and recrimination a hopefully remorseful mother could fling at him!

"I guess," Jason murmured, trying not to feel satisfaction and a little malicious glee as he pictured the scene. When it came to getting results, his mother was a past mistress at guilt-tripping a person! "Anyway, that's all that happened to me. Mom's on the mend, I got to see and reconnect with her again, Rocky seems to have gotten more tolerant of us … not bad for a week that could've gone horribly wrong, I'd say."

"Uh huh," Tommy agreed, then reached out to touch Jason's arm. "Thanks for being ready to share, Bro."

"I learned my lesson," Jason smiled wryly. "Besides, I didn't want you to have to call Eric again to give me another 'reminder'."

Tommy had the grace to blush. "Yeah, well … if I hadn't been at my wits' end that time …"

"I know. Back then, I needed a good kick in the ass; I just didn't think it'd be literal. Besides, something good came out of that as well, right?"

"Two new friends, yeah," Tommy nodded. "We really ought to get together with them again sometime this summer."

"Maybe we can invite them over for your birthday this fall; or have a housewarming party or something once we're done with the addition. Speaking of which – wanna show me how far the crew have got while I was away?"

"Sounds like a plan. Come on, I'll give you the grand tour, even if there's not much to see yet except the foundation."

*

"Lookin' good," Jason commented once Tommy had shown him around the construction site and pulled back the tarp a little to give an impression of how much bigger their living place would be once they were done. "I think we'll have enough room – especially if we put up some sort of partition between the seating and the lair's entrance."

"Hmm, yeah. But I wouldn't want to have a wall there."

"No, I was thinking more of a bookcase – either open from both sides, or two narrow ones back to back. We'll have to go look."

"Oh great, furniture shopping," Tommy groaned. "I thought we were done with all that stuff after choosing paint and floor coverings!" Jason laughed.

"Hey, at least all we'll have to check is measurements; the hard part will be when we need to replace the couch and chairs!"

"Don't remind me," Tommy sighed. He watched Jason wander around the new foundation, looking at every angle. Suddenly, he noticed that he was wincing and circling his head as he rose from a crouch. "Are you okay, Bro?"

"Just stiff and a bit sore from all that sitting I've done last week," Jason reassured him. "Nothing a little exercise tomorrow won't cure."

"Are you sure that's all?."

"Yes. Stop being such a worrywart," Jason chided. "I'm fine!"

Tommy eyed him consideringly. "Okay, if you say so." Then he raised an eyebrow. "But why don't I give you a back rub?"

The dark eyes lit up. "Would you?"

Tommy grinned. "Sure. I knew you weren't gonna resist that."

"Definitely an offer I can't refuse," Jason grinned back. "Is it bedtime already?"

"Not for a while – but why wait? I can just get a blanket and some lotion and do it here in the yard." He laughed outright as Jason immediately started looking for the perfect spot. "Okay, okay, I can take a hint!" Whistling to himself, Tommy disappeared into the house. When he came back, Jason had not only already stripped off his shirt, but brought a cooler with drinks and some fruit outside and was now waiting with an expectant smile. Quickly, Tommy unrolled the self-inflating camping mattress and spread a blanket over it, then motioned for his lover to lie down. Jason complied and Tommy straddled his thighs, pouring lotion into his hands.

"Careful, this might be a little cold at first …"

He needn't have worried; except for a soft hiss at the first touch, he had Jason soon groaning softly with pleasure as he started his massage, mixing undemanding caresses with more determined kneading.

"Mmm." The deep voice rumbled contentedly as Tommy worked out kinks and loosened muscles.

Man, I love hearing that sound. Like having my very own pet lion …

"Feels good?"

"Feels terrific," Jason murmured, gradually relaxing under the influence of sunlight, a full stomach and his lover's gentle ministrations. He felt a familiar flutter in his gut when Tommy's fingertips strayed too close to his chest or the swell of his butt, but for now Tommy was carefully avoiding turning the massage into something more intimate. Which was fine with Jason – not that he wasn't looking forward to making up for a week's worth of missed opportunities, or that he had any reservations about sex in the yard, but he was feeling too mellow right now to give in to the faint stirring.

There'll be time later tonight …

As if he'd been reading Jason's mind, Tommy chuckled softly as he paused momentarily to squirt a little more lotion into his hands and pressed a kiss right between Jason's shoulder blades.

"You know, whenever I give you a back rub, or you give one to me, I'm reminded of our first time, back on the Rez."

The broad back quivered as Jason laughed. "Yeah. Fun times." His voice was muffled from lying face-down with his head resting on his crossed arms. "Especially before, when you fell off that horse. Man, you were mad!"

"And wet, and sore, and generally miserable," Tommy added dryly, sneaking in a quick tickle that had Jason squirm and grumble in protest within seconds.

"Stop that!"

"Spoilsport." Obligingly, though, Tommy resumed his slow, soothing motions all over the tanned skin. "But in hindsight, it was all good. That massage, and what you turned it into, is one of my best memories."

Jason turned his head sideways and looked over his shoulder. "Mine, too," he replied huskily. "Especially after all those mishaps we had before."

"Uh huh." With a final pat and squeeze, Tommy finished at the trim waist, touching the rounded butt teasingly before he rose and lay down next to Jason. "Feel better now?"

"Mmm. Much. Why'd you stop, though? I was just getting nice and sleepy," Jason murmured, sounding rather drowsy. His lover only laughed.

"Bro, I love you, but if you think I'm gonna carry you to bed if you fall asleep on me here, dream on! I told you before, you're not Kim!"

"Well, shit. Can I at least get a kiss?"

"Of course. Turn over." Tommy waited until Jason had rolled onto his back, then leaned forward and captured the waiting mouth with his own. Their lips met almost shyly at first, and tiny pecks and nibbles only gradually gave way to careful exploratory licks as both men rediscovered familiar territory. As they continued to kiss, their tongues intertwined more deeply, yet they kept it soft and gentle. The hunger for more simmered just below the surface – they could tell from the other's racing heartbeat and rapid breaths – and it would be satisfied later. For now, the love was enough.

"I wish we could afford to dig a pool," Jason sighed wistfully as they rested side by side, his head settled comfortably on Tommy's shoulder. "Or at least have a hot tub; it'd be nice if we could just strip and get into the water together."

"Maybe we should start playing the lottery," Tommy suggested idly.

Jason snorted. "If we won the lottery, I'd want a house like the Collins mansion somewhere on the beach," he said. "This place is great, will be even better once we're through with the construction, but I sure wish sometimes it'd be closer to some water."

"Why not go for a private island, while we're daydreaming? Somewhere tropical, nobody around … nobody to see us if we decide to run around naked all day …" Surprised, Tommy heard Jason's breath catch with a soft hiss. "Would you like that?"

The dark eyes had turned smoky with longing. "It's a fantasy I used to have," Jason confessed. "You and me together, in or near a jungle of sorts – all the comfort we could wish for if and when we want it, but clothes were definitely optional." He shrugged sheepishly. "As I said, a fantasy. We could never afford it, and I really wouldn't want to live so far from everything all the time, but …"

"… it's a very tempting idea, I agree." Tommy could picture the scene himself very clearly, and had to stifle his own sigh. Then, he raised himself up on one elbow and waited until Jason looked directly into his eyes. "Jase – we both know we can't have that kind of lifestyle, but I'm pretty sure what we can have is that fantasy of yours. At least once, and for a little while."

"We can? How?"

"A vacation," Tommy replied simply. "There must be places where people live like that … and are willing to make such dreams come true for others. Maybe in Hawaii, the Maldives, or the Caribbean … some place like that, I don't care. But if we want it bad enough, we can make it a reality one day."

"I'd like that," Jason said, touching Tommy's cheek. "I'd like that very much – someday."

"Then consider it a promise."

"Ditto."

Fittingly, they sealed it with a kiss.

*


All through the afternoon, Jason and Tommy went about their business, stopping frequently to exchange slow, languorous kisses and gentle touches whenever they passed each other or one of them just felt like getting close. After one such interlude in the kitchen, Jason stayed pressed against Tommy a few moments longer.

"You know … this is almost like last weekend, before your mother's phone call sent everything to hell in a handbasket," he murmured into the short hair behind Tommy's ear. "Only, not. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Tommy smiled reminiscently, letting his fingers trail down the broad back until he could cup one tight buttock with one hand while the other toyed with the elastic waistband of Jason's shorts. "I can't touch you enough either. The only difference is, today we're not going at it like a pair of sex-crazed bunny rabbits."

Jason's shoulders started to shake with laughter as he drew back and glared playfully at Tommy. "Gee, what a sexy image. Could it get any hotter?"

"Well, we were!"

"Yeah, but – bunny rabbits?!?"

Tommy shrugged sheepishly, slipping his fingers inside Jason's shorts at last. He nearly gasped when he encountered bare skin. "They're soft, and cute, and fluffy …"

"Just like you, huh?" Jason snickered at Tommy's instantly-outraged expression, then yelped when his buttcheek got pinched in retaliation. "Ow!"

"That'll teach you," Tommy muttered, soothing the smarting spot with a teasing foray to the cleft right next to it. He smiled at the low moan rising from his lover's throat and drew their hips closer together. To his delight, he could feel Jason's cock stretching and filling underneath the thin cotton. "Although I notice that right now you seem to be getting kinda, um, less soft …"

"Speak for yourself," Jason replied throatily, wedging his own hand between their bodies to stroke Tommy's also-burgeoning erection through his pants. "Wanna do something about it?"

"You think we should?" Tommy claimed another kiss, more intense than the one which had instigated the situation.

"Please …"

Chuckling at the breathy request, Tommy gave Jason a gentle push towards the nearest countertop. "My pleasure." Soon, Jason was leaning against the furniture, with his ass propped against the work surface. He spread his legs so that he and Tommy were standing crotch to crotch; as Tommy sensually shimmied his t-shirt out of the way, he began to shiver in anticipation. They kissed again, more deeply now, until they were both breathing hard. With a wolfish yet tender smile, Tommy drew down Jason's shorts and knelt, drinking in the sight of the hard cock jutting out from the patch of dark curls directly towards his mouth.

"Nice," he murmured huskily, nearly overcome at the scent and heat radiating from the silky flesh. Swallowing, Tommy trailed his hands around Jason's hips, down the outside of the muscular thighs and back up again on the less hairy inside. Jason's breath caught as he looked down on his lover and saw the lusty gleam in the brown eyes; it took all his willpower not to reach for Tommy's head and plunge his cock into the smiling mouth.

"Suck me, Tom."

"Soon, Bro. Soon." Using just his fingertips, Tommy circled the heavy balls twice before he touched the reddish-brown shaft. He ran one finger all the way from base to tip, scooping up the first pearly drop and rubbed it into the flaring head before making his way back down the other side. Jason shuddered, and Tommy repeated the motion several times until he noticed goosebumps were appearing on the flat abdomen. Smiling to himself, he closed his palm around the now-throbbing shaft, hefted the twin globes beneath in his other and started to knead and stroke simultaneously.

Above him, Jason moaned deep in his throat, then spread his feet even wider – as much as possible for him to remain upright while providing Tommy with enough freedom to touch where and how he wanted. A light sheen of sweat broke out on his skin, and the temptation to stop the still-gentle seduction and just take over grew nearly irresistible.

As if sensing that Jason was teetering on the brink, Tommy intensified both the pressure and the tempo with which he manipulated Jason's cock. He was breathing fast by now, and his hands were clenched on the edge of the kitchen cabinet. He shifted slightly to find a more comfortable position – not exactly easy on the tiled floor, but not even his aching knees were enough of a reason to stop. Not now, when he had his lover exactly where he wanted him!

"Look at me, Jase," Tommy requested roughly, not quite making it an order. He waited until the heavy-lidded dark eyes fastened on his own, then let his lips curve in a predatory smile. "You want me to take your cock into my mouth, don't you?"

"Yeah," Jason panted.

"And then you want me to suck you until you come, right?"

"Y-yes …"

"Or do you want me to lick your balls first, then your whole prick, up and down and all over the head before I swallow you all the way down my throat?"

"Whatever," Jason groaned. "Anything. Everything! Just – now!" He was yea-close to losing it at the sensual description of what Tommy might do to him, and fast reaching the point where he didn't care at all as long as Tommy made him come /somehow/.

"So impatient," Tommy chuckled softly, but he was eager to rediscover the taste and feel of that thick shaft on his tongue himself. Without further ado, he began to nuzzle, nibble and lick along the straining cock, listening avidly to Jason's steadily-increasing moans. He also continued to play with the furred sac, rolling Jason's balls between his fingers until they drew up tightly towards the base of his shaft and the strong thighs began to tremble.

"Watch me," Tommy commanded, and waited just long enough for Jason to focus on his mouth. Then he swirled his tongue around the swollen glans, laving it thoroughly several times before slowly closing his lips over the soft-skinned head. Jason shivered and moaned again, barely refraining from pushing forward. His constraint was rewarded when Tommy began to suck, drawing more and more of the hard length into his throat until every inch was buried in wet heat. Tommy held him like that for a while, but when Jason pried one hand loose from the death grip he had on the countertop and touched Tommy's hair with fingers that visibly shook, he relented and began to suck.

"Yesss," Jason hissed, torn between the desire to grab the bobbing head, to thrust hard and fast until he exploded, and the pleasure Tommy's deliberately slow blowjob was giving him. His very indecision made the choice for him, though – Tommy captured his wandering hand and placed it back onto the countertop's edge. The blazing brown eyes told Jason to stay immobile; he groaned in defeat and despite Tommy's earlier demand to watch threw back his head, let his lids droop shut and abandoned himself to sensation.

Tommy lavished every ounce of skill he'd gained in the last nine years on Jason's cock, varying both the speed and the intensity of his sucking, and was rewarded at last with a hoarse cry as his lover reached an explosive climax. Hot, salty semen hit Tommy's tongue and the back of his throat in several spurts; he swallowed it all, sucking gently until even the last drop was spent and he could feel the gradual softening in the thick cock. With a last slow, gentle lick and kiss he let it slip from his mouth and rose fluidly to draw his spent lover into his arms. Fine tremors raced up and down the naked body as Jason clung to him, and Tommy smiled, pleased that once more he'd been able to satisfy the man he loved so completely.

"God, that was awesome," Jason panted when he finally was able to speak again. "I love your blowjobs."

"Same here," Tommy murmured, waiting for the dark head to lift so they could kiss. Jason's lips were soft when he offered his mouth, accepting the thorough plundering of Tommy's tongue with another low moan as he tasted himself. He was still rather shaky on his feet as he was released, but Jason nevertheless smiled and ran his fingers from Tommy's cheek down his chest to the noticeable bulge in his pants. He squeezed gently.

"Let me return the favor?"

Tommy's eyes gleamed at the suggestion, but to Jason's surprise he shook his head. "Actually … I think I'd like to wait."

Somewhat taken aback and definitely disappointed, Jason blinked. "Oh? Why?"

Tommy shrugged. "I dunno. I just feel like waiting." He grinned when his lover's face fell. "Don't worry, Bro; I'll get my pleasure from you tonight, I promise. Just not now."

"Okay," Jason said dubiously, but felt a fresh flutter of excitement deep in his belly. So Tommy had plans for 'tonight', did he? Interesting. Fascinating, even! "If you say so."

"Uh huh." Tommy bent and picked up the discarded shirt and Jason's shorts. He held them in one hand, speculatively eyeing the sculpted body before him as part of their conversation from earlier that day came back to him. Hmm. We're not on a tropical island, but it's still warm enough … Jase is pretty uninhibited, and there's no-one to see… "Ah, what were you going to do before we got, um, distracted?"

Jason shrugged, a little mystified at the question. "Nothing much, why? The lawn needs watering and I suppose I could get out my own tools so I can lend the construction guys a hand tomorrow, but that's pretty much it."

The brown eyes started to glitter. "Good. In that case … you don't need these, do you?" He tossed both shirt and shorts onto a chair.

Jason's breath caught and his heart began to beat wildly. Tommy couldn't be thinking of what he thought he was thinking, could he? "Not really," he replied slowly. "Why?"

"Because I want you good and ready … when I'm ready," Tommy answered and reached for Jason's arm, pulling him gently but firmly out of the kitchen. "Go do your yardwork."

"What, like /this/?" Jason indicated his nudity with a small, fleeting gesture.

"Oh yeah. Exactly like this." With quickly-masked satisfaction Tommy saw Jason's genitals fill and stretch again despite his recent orgasm as he gulped once, then nodded his compliance. His own unfulfilled desire made itself known, but he stifled the impulse. Restraint now would reap bigger benefits later. "I'll be on the porch, going over my research notes."

"Right." The deep voice was husky, but the look in the smoky midnight eyes was already turning into a lusty gleam. Which was exactly what Tommy was hoping for. With the lift of an eyebrow, Jason pointed to a pair of shoes in the corner, and Tommy nodded his assent; he wanted his lover hot and ready tonight, not sore-footed! He stayed to watch Jason slip the canvas shoes on his feet, then slowly followed Jason outside, admiring the rare and exciting view of his gloriously nude lover moving through the yard in the late-afternoon sun.

*

Night over Reefside found Jason on his knees, his arms braced against the foot of the bed while Tommy fucked him from behind. Tommy had already come once inside of him, almost as soon as he'd plunged into his ass. Instead of starting over, though, Tommy remained sheathed within his lover until he'd got his second wind, pleasuring Jason until he was breathless, slick and ready for an even wilder ride. With every long, slow thrust, Jason moaned his pleasure into the dimly-lit room, rocking back and forth in perfect counterpoint to the hard impalement. His chest heaved as his ass was lifted slightly to deepen the angle of penetration; dizzy with desire, he couldn't even free one hand to wrap around his aching cock – but Tommy held him in such a way that he needed all his strength just to stay in position.

Shivering with lust, Jason rhythmically clenched his anus around the fleshy pole as Tommy withdrew almost completely once more, laughing silently to himself when he heard the sharp intake of breath behind his back as his sphincter bore down on the ridge circling the sensitive head. It was a small triumph despite not being on top; part of what made their relationship so satisfying. He might be taking the submissive role now, but that didn't mean he had no influence on what could be done to heighten their mutual pleasure. Strong, lean hands gripped his hips while Tommy fought for control.

"Easy, Bro. I don't want this to be over yet," Tommy panted. More gently now, he pushed back into the tight, hot channel until he was buried completely inside the pliant body again and his balls rested snugly against the underside of the firm butt, then stilled.

"Mmm." Jason's voice was a low rumble as he, too, caught his breath. Being thoroughly fucked like that felt too damn good to stop anytime soon; if Tommy could hold out, so could he! Consciously relaxing all his muscles, he reveled in the slow sweeps Tommy's hands were now making all over his back, flanks and buttocks, wishing he would stray lower and around to his rock-hard erection. But no …

Wiping his sweaty face against the bedspread, Jason let himself be carried along by the almost hypnotic passes over his heated skin. Now and then, Tommy got a little careless and his nails would leave a tiny, smarting welt in their wake – small wonder with the light sunburn he'd caught! They had both underestimated the power of the late-afternoon sun while Jason did his chores in the nude, and had mistakenly believed he wouldn't need sunscreen.

Well … can't complain, really. It's not that bad – I doubt I'll feel a thing, come tomorrow – and applying the after-sun lotion was the perfect way to get me the best fuck I've had in a while!

Getting a sunburned ass was a more than fair price to pay for the thrill it had been to parade his body before his lover, as far as Jason was concerned. He'd had no problem at all with being naked and outside to begin with, but what had made it so exciting was the knowledge that Tommy remained fully clothed – and unsatisfied – while he was watching him. Of course, Tommy had tried to work on his paper, but every time Jason looked back towards the porch or took a breather, he had found the glittering brown eyes focused intently on his body. An experiment or two – arching his back when he paused so his half-erect cock would jut outwards, or letting some water from his bottle trickle down his throat while drinking so it made his chest glisten – had proved that Tommy's concentration was on anything but his work. The smug satisfaction from that had been enough to keep Jason semi-aroused until dinner, and he had discovered yet another way to keep Tommy in much the same state – namely, to stop right by Tommy's chair whenever he needed to pass. Conveniently, his cock had been at just the perfect height for another blowjob, but wickedly Jason had turned away every time his would-be tormentor was on the verge of reaching for him.

However, even the vaunted self-discipline of two high-class martial artists had limits. Despite his earlier hunger, dinner couldn't be over soon enough for Jason, so he'd all but wolfed down his chili and told his lover with a come-hither look that he was going to take another shower … and that Tommy was welcome to join him.

Tommy didn't need to be told twice.

Under the sting of hot water, Jason had finally noticed his reddened skin, and a contrite Tommy had immediately offered to apply the ointment. Which ultimately had led them to where they were now – joined as intimately as possible, flesh to flesh.

"Ready for more?" Tommy murmured, licking sensually up Jason's spine.

"Always," Jason breathed, and hissed sharply when Tommy took him at his word and started to fuck him again, slowly at first, but gaining speed with every thrust. His ass felt like it was on fire, both inside and out, and Jason arched up from the bed in sheer bliss. To his surprise, Tommy caught him around his chest, straightened and leaned back, letting Jason's own weight impale him even deeper as he drew him against his shoulders.

"Touch yourself, Jase," he requested, raw need in his voice. "I want to see how you bring yourself off while I'm inside of you."

Moaning, Jason complied. He let his head fall back into the crook of his lover's neck and reached for his tightly-drawn-up balls. Hefting them in one hand, he wrapped the other around the base of his aching cock and started to pump. Instinctively, his hips jerked forward, and he slid a little off Tommy's lap. Not wanting to lose even a fraction of an inch of the hardness filling him, he thrust his ass backwards again, and trembled when the pressure against his prostate returned. More carefully, he tried a second stroke, with the same result.

"Ahh!" The needy cry made Tommy chuckle soundlessly, and he ran one hand upwards to pinch the small nipples.

"That's it, Bro – ride me!" Not waiting for an answer, he quickly turned Jason's face towards him so he could plunder the gasping mouth before he returned to the small, stiff nubs on the broad chest.

Jason didn't have to be told twice. Letting his body take over, he started to move faster, rocking up and down on Tommy's shaft while his hands became a blur of motion on his own prick. Only at the last possible moment, when he could already feel the coiling in his balls indicating the onset of climax, did Tommy push him forward once more and retook control, pounding into him once, twice and they both came within seconds of each other.

*

The next morning, Tommy couldn't help grinning when Jason winced slightly as he sat down for breakfast. "Sore?" he asked.

"Yeah – but not from you," Jason grumbled, albeit with a small, reminiscent grin of his own. "It's that stupid sunburn on my ass. My briefs chafe something awful."

"You can always take them off again," Tommy suggested blandly.

"What, and give the construction guys more of an eyeful that they bargained for? I think not," Jason snorted, amused and just a tiny bit thrilled.

"Well, I can always put more lotion on your butt." The oh-so-innocent offer didn't fool Jason for a second.

Not when he looks as if he's gonna eat me alive any minute! Not that he'd have any objection, but …

"Tonight. Maybe."

"I may just hold you to that, Bro," Tommy murmured, then shrugged sheepishly as the contractor's truck pulled up to the house. "Guess that's it for fun and games today," he sighed comically.

"At least as long as anyone's around, anyway," Jason agreed. Finishing his coffee in a couple of long gulps, he stood and started carrying dishes to the sink. "Come on, let's get this show on the road."



To Be Continued …