Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 16:35:20 -0800 (PST)
From: Toby Barnum <bearwolf_7@yahoo.com>
Subject: Ya Can't Get There From Here - 6

Mark kept his Christmas promise to Shawn and outfitted one of the guest
rooms to accommodate the hot tub.  However, it turned out to be more
than a therapy room for Toby. Mark had plans for him and Shawn that
featured that tub. To make the place a little more friendly he installed
shutters on the large window that framed the mountain. The plants and
candles may have been overkill, but he figured why the hell not.

Josh left the shutters open and the room became a warm island in the
snowstorm. He removed the restraints from Toby's leg and eased him into
the bubbling water giving his wound a cursory inspection. He was slowly
flexing Toby's knee when Mark came in. After acknowledging the two
men, Mark looked at Josh.

"Can you teach me to do that? Toby and me have a lot of catchin up to
do."

"Sure, Mark. We're just starting. Roll up your sleeves, put your hands next
to mine and I'll show ya how far you can go."

With both Josh and his father supporting him, Toby felt a warmth
spreading inside that had nothing to do with the temperature in the tub.

"Mark, you take care of Toby for a bit. I'll be outside with my dad if ya
need anything. I'll call ya when Toby's time's up."

Alone with his son, Mark's big hands transmitted more of what of what
was going on inside than words would ever do. The look on Toby's face
told Mark all he needed to know.

Outside Josh grabbed his mug and sat next to Shawn in front of the fire.

"So dad, you been holdin out on me all these years. Any more surprises?
Do I need to locate a Victoria's Secret before your birthday?"

"On target as usual, boy wonder. Not.  This one took me by surprise
several months ago."

Shawn brought his son up to date on what had happened with him and
Mark the previous October.

"So, there ya have it. I fought it, but in the end I realized that if I let this
chance go, I'd regret it for the rest of my life."

Josh interrupted with a call to Mark. "Time to take him out. Want any
help?"

"Nah, I can handle it myself", said Mark as he stripped off his shirt, put
his hands around Toby and lifted him from the tub.

When Toby reached for the towel, Mark got there first.

"Son, indulge yer ol man for awhile. I gotta make up for lost time."

Toby figured that being taken care of by his dad was worth surrendering
some independence.

Outside, Josh had fallen silent. Shawn didn't push and was rewarded when
Josh looked up and resumed the conversation.

"I know what you mean, dad. Toby took me by surprise too. I crossed
professional boundaries. That's what's been eatin at me."

"Look, Josh, if you had taken advantage of Toby, I'd be the first to take
you out of the picture.  What you're doing for that boy goes beyond
physical therapy. I've never seen him happier. He let you inside to a place
he's kept locked from everybody else. You know Carol in social services?
She ran down all the reasons that kid has for keeping everybody at arms
length.

"Dad, is that THE Carol? You know, your partner in the friendly mutual
admiration society?"

Shawn chuckled, "The very one. The fuzzy mama bear with fangs."

Josh grew thoughtful for a little while and then resumed speaking.

"Thanks dad. You are the only one who could get me off that particular
hook. Now I really feel free and ....... well ..." Josh caught his dad's
eyes.  "You know what that's like."

"Yeah, I do."  Shawn sighed then looked up to meet his son. "Josh, you
know I've always admired your courage in going after what you want.
This time you topped past records. The neatest thing for me is I have
another person I can let in on what's really going on in my life. This is
probably as good a time as any to tell ya. I'm moving my practice up here.
Gonna start a small clinic. We've talked about my wanting to get off the
treadmill before. Now I have a reason to make a move and I'm gonna go
for it."

"Dad, I'll help every way I can. Have I told you recently how much I love
and admire you?"

"Yeah, son. Your actions cut through all the bullshit we go through when
we get together."  Shawn's face was once again dressed in a grin.

"Bullshit? Hell dad, I was only doin that for you. I figured anything too
heavy might strain your aging heart."

Shawn threw a pillow at his son and before long the two were wrestling on
the floor.

"What the hell is all the noise out here."  Mark preceded Toby into the
room, took in the scene and started laughing.  "Can anybody play?"

"Moose, you against me and my boy would be an even fight, but your kid
is off limits to roughhousing till he's all healed"

"Excuses, excuses." Toby was shaking his head. "You just don't want yer
asses whuped."

"Mark, this is living proof that your genes can overpower your upbringing.
Your boy is growin up to be a wiseass just like his dad!"

"Then, Slick old buddy, we must be related. In case ya haven't noticed,
the wiseass gene is pretty strong in your family tree too."

Toby entered the free-for-all with, "Josh, think we'll ever be able to attain
those mature displays of affection in our relationship?"

Shawn broke in with, "Mark, maybe they're not too old to spank after all."

Toby would not be upstaged.

"Kinky, Dr. McGreggor. Josh, that's not another family trait I hope."

Later in the afternoon, Mark rigged a sled so Toby could get outside. The
boys went off into the woods and stayed out until it was getting dark. They
came in with a flush on their faces that Shawn decided was not entirely the
result of a prolonged exposure to winter.

Still later, after the boys were settled in Toby's room for the night, Mark
took a "Do not Disturb" sign from one of the guest rooms and hung it on
the door leading to the hot tub. He went back and took Shawn by the hand
though the darkened house. When they entered the room, Shawn found
that the windows were shuttered and all the light there was coming from a
small number of spear-shaped flames. Mark came up behind Shawn and
pulled him close inhaling his scent with a sigh of satisfaction. The musk
that shouted "male" overwhelmed him and he licked the back of Shawn's
neck to taste it.

"Been waitin for this all day, buddy."

Allowing hands and bodies to carry the burden of communication, they
stood wrapped in each other while they slowly disrobed pausing to play in
their shorts for awhile. When these too joined the pile on the floor, Mark
broke the silence.

"Gonna show ya a neat way I found this morning to get in and out of the
tub, man"

With that he lifted Shawn off the floor and gently lowered him into the
swirling warmth. He took the occasion to use his beard to nuzzle Shawn
on his head and chest. When Shawn was submerged in water and
contentment, Mark climbed in beside him. Turning sideways with legs
extended on the ledge, both men slid together until their sacks and chests
were rubbing together. Arms wrapped around each other, they played and
fondled allowing their mutual stimulation to do its work. Mark slid back
his hood and wrapped his hand around the both of them, keeping the
undersides moving one against the other slowly and firmly. The water
wasn't moving fast enough to take away all the precum their excitement
produced and Mark found his hand getting slippery. Shawn moaned his
appreciation. Mark chose words.

"Buddy, the sounds you make when we're like this get me hot as hell."

Mark followed the words with a low rumbling in his chest. The dialog of
moans and low growls continued unhurried by the driving need that had
been sated the previous night. When they arrived at a sensation plateau,
they stayed there and gave themselves up to mutual enjoyment. A shaggy
head rested itself on Shawn's chest. He stroked it gently.

"Ya know Mark, every time we get together I keep finding new things to
explore."

"Why? You forget all the stuff you learned in doctor school?"

"Moose, don't play dumb, you know what I mean."

"Yeah, Shawn, same here. I wanna try it all."

"Tonite?"

"I have a limited repertoire."

"Improvise."

"When I cover your ass with whipped cream, I'm gonna remind you that it
was your idea."

Their lovemaking was playful and engaged two persons as well as two
bodies. They invested the time to make it a multileveled conversation.
Eventually, however, reflex threatened to take over. They returned to their
original position, sitting pressed tight to each other. Sean took both their
bones in hand to line them up head to head as they began to move against
each other. Mark rubbed the thickness of his beard across Sean's jawline,
coming to rest when their mouths found each other. Both were really
close, so their movement was slight. They slowly moved up the slope to
the top prolonging a pleasure so keen it melded their souls. They reached
the summit quietly, their tongues being otherwise occupied. The
earthquake that ensued was all the more powerful for its slow buildup. In
the silence of the night their bodies heaved and convulsed while ribbons of
sperm snaked through the water.