Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 18:38:20 -0700
From: Stephan Phelps <dnsphelps@mcsi.net>
Subject: Michael and Jake Part Two
Disclaimer: I do not know, nor do I claim to know Jake Gyllenhaal, or any
other celebrities that may wander through these pages, and I do not know,
or therefore mean to imply any knowledge of their personal lives or sexual
preferences. This is a work of fiction. The character of Michael is my
own creation and therefore any use of him outside this story must be done
with my permission. If you are under 18 years of age, or are bothered by
the prospect of a homo-erotic relationship between two men, then you better
go and find something else to read on another web-site.
OMG!!! JARHEAD!!! Jake Gyllenhaal looking nice and buff and dancing
around wearing nothing but a smile and a couple of Santa's hats, one of
which was quite strategically placed! Need I say more? Oh yeah! Thank
you to everyone who took the time to write me after part one. It really
means alot to know that there really are people out there reading it! And
so, with that said, on with the story......
Michael's POV
That Saturday, after I had come home from the studios and had a
mini nervous breakdown on my parents sofa the night before, my dad
suggested going to check out the house. The lawyers had given me a key
ring with several keys on it, so we loaded everyone into the Ford Excursion
and headed out.
Heading down the East Side toward the East River, the streets
got wider and cleaner, the buildings grander and the people on the
sidewalks more elegant and self-assured.
The most self-assured little enclave in Manhattan was Sutton
Circle: It took Real money to get there. Not new money, either. As
Chantal had put it yesterday when we had sufficiently calmed down over the
lottery win, and I was able to tell them about the house, "Sutton Place
means you're rich. Sutton Square means you're super-rich. But Sutton
Circle means your grandfather was super-rich and you've held on to every
penny!"
I had known a boy from Sutton Circle when we were both students
at St. Barnabas's Academy. If St. Barnabas's was a step up for a boy
from West End Avenue, then it was most certainly a step down for a young
man from the East Side's toniest block. Lucien Butterworth--that was the
boy's name--was the despair of the Social Registered, Mayflower descended
Butterworth family. He'd been expelled from two of the East Coast's most
exclusive boarding schools and then two more day schools in Manhattan, due
to his marked dislike for organized study habits and his fondness for
"having a party." Naturally my classmates and I all thought that Lucien
was great fun!
Lucien had even invited a bunch of us guys to the fabled
Butterworth mansion one night for a "party." The handsome Palladian-style
mansion had stood gleaming-white on the corner where Sutton Circle
intersected with Sutton Place. I can still remember my feelings of awe and
admiration on entering that house. It wasn't flashy or ostentatious, but
still, somehow you just knew that everything in it was the very best, just
absolute perfection. I was only fifteen at the time, but still remember
the details clearly.
Lucien's stay at St. Barnabas's, however, didn't last any
longer than at any other institution of learning. There was a new Mayor in
office, and one of his campaign pledges was a crackdown on after-hours
joints--unlicensed clubs that opened up after the regular bars had to close
at 4:00 a.m. and served liquor, illegally, to almost anybody. The Daily
News ran a spicy photo to go with their headline Cops Bust Society Club.
The aristocratic young man seen biting an arresting police-man on the hand
was, quite unmistakably, Lucien Butterworth. The former Headmaster of St.
Barnabas's himself returned from retirement to personally expel Lucien,
who, four months later, ran off to Europe with a titled French heiress. I
myself left not long after when I joined the cast of Another Life
It didn't seem that long ago, I thought nostalgically, but even
Sutton Circle had changed. Gone were the Butterworth mansion and most all
of the other private residences around it. In their place were glossy
apartment towers with wide windows and ample balconies--so much easier and
less expensive to maintain. "Financial reality catches up even with the
super-rich," I thought to myself with a smile.
"What number?" my dad asked, interrupting my reverie.
"Uh........fifty-eight." We looked left and right at
apartment-house canopies, heading toward the river. We were just opposite
fifty-two when I spotted it. "Oh my God!"
And then we stopped. And stared.
For one full minute, no one said anything, until my younger
brother Sean's muttered, "Holy Shit!" broke the silence.
Like a vision out of time-travel, it had stayed unchanged as
the world around it had convulsed and shrunk. The house was
Italianate-style, and it flaunted the wide, covered front porch,
front-center tower, balconies, and bay windows that in the latter part of
the Nineteenth Century were the fashionable way to let the world know just
how rich you'd become. Not only that, but in a real-estate market where
mere feet of ground could cost ten's, or even hundred's of millions, the
Hayes mansion had a lawn which extended graciously toward the East River.
Around all this anacronistic splendor marched a high, strong, cast-iron
fence.
"Okay, this is probably going to sound like a stupid question,
but here goes anyway. Who wants to go inside and take a look around?" I
asked. My dad whipping a U-turn in the middle of the street and parking in
front of the house was my answer. As I helped first Ryan and then Michelle
out of the Excursion and down onto the sidewalk, I looked up at the house
and let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Pulling the keys
out of my pocket, I looked them over, thankful that they were labled.
After unlocking the gate, I led the way up the brick walkway to the front
porch.
Once I had the front door open, my whole family crowded into
the foyer behind me.
"Don't touch anything!" I warned.
"Can we look around?" my older sister Julie asked.
"Sure," I replied, and with that, we all split up and went our
separate ways.
The rooms on the first floor were huge and plentiful, with
numerous bed- rooms and bathrooms on the second floor, and the old servants
quarters up on the third floor under the red tiled mansard-style roof. The
first and second floors had twelve foot ceilings, with ten foot ceilings on
the third floor. The chandeliers and wall sconces were Venetian glass, and
the fireplace mantel's were marble, even those in the servants quarters,
and judging by the vents in the floors, there was central heating as well.
On the first floor, there were wings that extended off the main structure
of the house, one on each side. It just might work, but I had to give some
more thought to my ideas first......
There was also a huge basement which definately had
possibilities, and out behind the house, there was, what proved upon
further investigation to be, a detached eight car garage with plenty of
storage up above, which fit in even better with the plans that were
beginning to take shape in my mind! Fuck, this just keeps getting better
and better all the time, I thought to myself. My hands itched to get ahold
of my sketch pad and start putting my thoughts down on paper!
I pulled out my cell phone and the card from the lawyers and
called and left a voice message stating that as the "new" owner of the
house, I wished to be present when the family came to collect the contents.
"Those chandeliers are Venetian glass, probably handblown, and
I don't want the family thinking that they're part of the contents. Same
with the mantel's. Did you happen to notice that workmanship?"
"Good for you son. Yes I did," my father said clapping me on
the shoulder. I was still undecided about my lottery winnings. I didn't
know if I was going to take one lump sum or spread out the payments. I
probably wouldn't decide that until I actually went up to Albany to certify
my ticket......Either way, I was going to invest my winnings properly to
make sure that my entire family would never want for anything. I had to.
They were the most precious and important people in my life. It was as
simple as that......
Jake's POV
I had had too much to deal with. It was as simple as that.
The past year and a half had been almost too much to handle. First there
had been Jarhead. It hadn't been the easiest shoot, and I hate to think
what would have happened if Peter hadn't been there. I really think I
would have totally lost it if it hadn't been for him! Thank God for Peter!
For those of you who don't know who I'm talking about, I'm referring to
Peter Saarsgard, my sister Maggie's boyfriend.
Anyways, after finishing Jarhead, I headed home to L.A to have
some down time. For a while I knew things weren't working out with
Kirsten. I just didn't feel the same about her anymore, so we decided to
end things. Shortly after that, I headed up to Canada to shoot Brokeback
Mountain. That was also hard, 'cause while I was tryin to cope with my own
shit, Heath and Michelle were becoming the official set "couple", which
just made me feel that much worse.
Don't get me wrong, there were also a couple of bright spots to
last year too! Matilda Rose Ledger was one of them! I felt so proud and
honored when Heath and Michelle asked me, me of all people, to be her
Godfather! That was so cool!
Another bright spot was Paul Walker.
After we finished on Brokeback, I went back to L.A. for the
premeire and party for Jarhead and don't ask me how, but I ended up doing
straight shots of Tequila with Paul, and then, I couldn't really say for
sure, but somehow, we ended up back at my house, sitting on the couch still
doing shots of Tequila. Don't ask me what happened next, 'cause this is
where things start getting kinda hazy, but just about the last thing I
remember is both of us working our way down the hall to my bedroom, kissing
like I haven't kissed or been kissed in a long time, and shedding clothes
every step of the way.
The next thing that either one of us could remember was waking
up the next morning with a hellacious hangover and a raging hardon! I
won't go into graphic detail, but suffice it to say, Jake Gyllenhaal is no
one's bottom boy!
And thus was the start of a......mutually satisfying, no
strings attached, relationship. For about the past six months or so,
whenever we happen to be in the same town, Paul and I will get together
once, maybe twice a week, and, you know......fuck.
Which brings us to why I'm hold up here in my room when I
should be out visiting my sister and Peter, or Heath and Michelle and
little Matilda Rose. I haven't left my room in three days because I'm
affraid and I can't admit the truth to myself......
How can I tell anyone else when I can barely admit the truth to
myself? I'm gay......There, I finally admitted it, at least to myself.
Well, no thunder and lightning, no roof falling down around my
ears......I did feel something drop onto my thigh and looked down.
Atticus, my German shepherd had layed his head in my lap and whined. Boo
Radley, my Puggle, sat in the corner of the sofa and looked at me with sad
eyes.
"You guys will still love me no matter what, right? Even if I
am gay?" Atticus barked and so did Boo. "Okay then, that settles it.
I'll go get in the shower and then we'll go get Maggie and go play in the
park, okay?" Both dogs barked happily and I got up from the sofa to head
toward the bathroom. As I crossed the sitting room, I caught my reflection
im a huge mirror that was propped against the wall. Brown hair that always
looked as if I had just rolled out of bed, bright blue eyes, one tiny brown
mole on my left cheek, and its twin above the corner of my upper lip, both
of which were partially hidden by several days' growth of stubble, the long
straight nose and sexy lips, and well defined pecs and abs which were
covered in a light dusting of brown hair. Arms and legs not too overly
muscular, but toned and fit. All in all, a nice looking package of six
foot hunkyness. No wonder Walker is always so eager to get together
whenever we're in the same town together! On that thought, I disappeared
into my bedroom.
Michael's POV
After we got home, I told Ryan and Michelle to go change
clothes.
"Park?" Ryan asked hopefully, while Michelle dashed off to her
room, already knowing the answer to that simply worded question.
"Park," I replied, "now scoot!" I said, giving him a prodding
little swat on his fanny. He too ran off to his room. While they were
changing clothes, I went into my own room and gathered up several sketch
pads and books, pens, pencils, my oil pastels and colored pens and pencils
and put them into my back pack. As I was picking up some clothes, my gaze
fell on the picture on the nightstand. It was taken last Christmas and it
showed a relaxing family moment, everyone crowded on and in front of the
couch right after we had played "rip and shred," and finished opening
presents, as was evidenced by the stray pieces of wrapping paper strewn on
the floor, and the bow's that we had all stuck in our hair. Were it not
for the fact that all three of us kids had gotten our looks and coloring
from our mom, with either her hazel eyes, or, in my case, our dad's green
eyes, I would swear I was adopted, as I was the shortest.
I got into the living room at the same time as the kids and my
mom, who had changed into her Scrubs, so she must have gotten called in to
work. Mom's an R.N., and dad is an architect.
"You three going to the Park?" she asked.
"Yup," I replied. "We'll be home for dinner."
"Me to!" my mom said with a saucy grin as we all headed out
the door. She bent to give the kids each a kiss on the cheek, and then
straightened and on impulse, gave me one too. "I love you. Be good," and
with that, we were on our way, her to the Hospital, and the three of us to
the Park.
Jake's POV
After getting out of the shower and getting dressed, I called
Maggie and asked if she wanted to go the park, and if I should get anything
to eat. After getting off the phone, I closed it and dropped it into my
pocket, grabbed my wallet and dropped it into my back pocket. Picking up
my back pack, I checked to make sure I had the dogs' favorite toys, zipped
it closed, put on a black track jacket, put my room key in my pocket, put
on a pair of sunglasses, put Boo and Atticus on their leashes and left the
room.
I noticed him right off the bat as I approached the produce
section. It was hard not to, with that red hair! Jesus, what I wouldn't
give to run my hands through it! While I looked over the apples, I looked
him over too. About five and a half feet tall, he was quite nice looking.
High forehead, and green eyes! Damn, that was a killer combination! Red
hair and green eyes! God help me! He also had a true red head's fair
complexion, long straight nose, and extremely kissable lips! He picked out
a container of strawberries and showed it to two small children for their
approval Shit! Just my fucking luck! I looked around, and they seemed to
be together, but without any identifiable female companionship. Well,
things seemed to be looking up! I watched as they headed over to the Deli
cases and added a couple of apples to the two bottles of water already in
my basket, then followed at a safe distance.
Nice build too, athletic and buff, without being too muscular,
so he obviously worked out on a regular basis. Nice ass lovingly encased
in denim, and nice thighs too! I picked out a couple of ready-made sub's
and into line to pay, which would eventually bring us into direct
proximity. And then he bent over to study the contents of the case, and I
had to stifle a groan. As it was, I made a small "wanting" noise in the
back of my throat. I pulled my sunglasses out of the neck of my jacket and
slipped them back on.
Michael's POV
I caught something moving out of the corner of my eye on my
left and turned my head to see if it was one of the kids trying to get my
attention, and found myself at eye level, and about eighteen inches away
from a crotch! A MALE crotch at that, and if the fabric covered bulge in
front of me was any indication, the guy I was practically ogling right
there in the Deli section was most definately aroused!
"Did you see something you wanted?" asked the young girl
behind the counter, completely oblivious to what was going on right in
front of her. I straightened up so quick that I had to place a hand on the
case to keep my balance as the blood came rushing back up, coloring my
cheeks. I turned and looked up at the guy standing next to me, looking him
straight in his sunglass covered eyes.
"Yes, and apparently I'm not the only one," I said, dropping my
gaze to the front of the mystery guy's pants, and then meeting his gaze
once more, be- fore looking at the girl behind the counter and giving her
my most genuine smile. There, I thought to myself, that ought to wipe that
shit-eating grin right off of his face!
She gasped in recognition and said "Ohmigod! You're......!"
Jake's POV
Shit!-Fuck!-Damn! I hadn't realized I had gotten so hard! I
quickly looked down to see how noticable it was, and turned red myself!
Shit! All of a sudden the girl behind the counter gasped in recognition
and I found myself preparing to be mobbed when she blurted out, "Ohmigod!
You're Michael Orsini!" The guy next to me spoke in that nice baritone
once again.
"Yes I am, would you like an autograph?" he asked.
"Oh, yes, please, thank you so much!"
"You're welcome," he said, scrawling his name on a paper napkin
after writing a short note.
Another person came over to where they were standing. "Hey,
you want your usual?" the guy asked
"Yup," Michael Orsini replied.
"Okay, coming right up." the other guy said. Then he
explained to the girl working the counter, "he comes in late every Saturday
morning and gets the same thing."
"A pound each of the turkey, roast beef, and the honey ham.
Also a pound each of the Havarti and the cheddar. And could you slice the
cheddar a bit on the thick side, please," Michael said. "It's our Saturday
ritual: Picnic in the Park"
"Cool," the girl said. "So when are they going to get you guys
a boy- friend?" she asked.
"Well, you didn't hear this from me, but they're looking for
someone for Blake right now. The Producer and Casting Director are looking
at head-shots now. I think they have a specific look that they're going
for."
"Right on! I hope you win the Emmy this year too
I have a good chance. I submitted some pretty good material,
we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed and wait and see," Michael
said, crossing his fingers. And with that, Michael Orsini grabbed his
purchases and turned and walked out of my life!
Michael's POV
I went to check out in the front of the store, all the while
thinking about the mystery man. There had seemed to be something awfully
familiar about him, but I just couldn't put my finger on what it was. Six
feet tall, with messy brown hair, long straight nose, sexy lips, and
several days worth of stubble. Because of his sunglasses, I hadn't been
able to see what color his eyes had been. Like me, he too had been
carrying a backpack, and had been wearing a black track jacket, olive green
cargo pants, and a pair of old beat-up Nike's
When I think about the fact that he had been sporting a major
hardon and I had been so close! Close enough to......! Okay!! That's
enough of that!! A shiver of desire ran down my spine, and I shrugged both
shoulders in an effort to shake it off. I paused at the end of the
check-out counter to get our picnic lunch arranged in my backpack, and
realized that I had forgot to bring a blanket to spread out on the grass,
so a stop at Macy*s was also in order. After I got everything situated, we
walked out, and there waiting in front of the little store were two dogs.
One was a German Shepherd, and the other on looked like some kind of mixed
breed Pug, but it was a cute litle dog none the less. The Shepherd perked
up at the sight of me and the kids, so I approached it with caution, and it
licked my hand, so I gave it a good petting, rubbed the little one behind
the ears, and we were on our way.
Central Park on that last Saturday in March was absolutely
glorious! There were people everywhere, and life was wonderful! I had
accomplished quite a few drawings and detailed renderings of the interior
and exterior of my new house, the basement, and the garage, and liked what
I had come up with!
I was going to do a re-model and bring the plumbing and
electric up to code, and sub-divide the house. Two smaller units on the
first floor, and a single unit on the second and third floors each, for a
total of four units. The garage would be divided up into four two-car
garages, each with a fairly wide disappearing stair that pulled down to
access individual storage spaces over each garage. The basement would be
turned into a common area with an enclosed laundry area, a pool-table, the
biggest Big-Screen TV I could find, and a bar area, as well as a small
fitness area. I also planned to re-inforce the roof area's on each of the
first floor wings as they were going to be out-door terrace area's for the
second floor unit, and the third floor roof, as it was going to be a
roof-top terrace/common out-door gathering area. Tha yard would be another
common area, and because of the fence, it would have some privacy. I
leaned back on my elbows, closed my eyes and let a private smile drift over
my features as I thought of my mystery man, who, unknown to me, was about
to make a dramatic re-entry into my life!
Jake's POV
I met Maggie at the entrance to the Park. I have to say, ever
since we left the store, Atticus had been acting like he was hot on the
trail of the criminal of the century, both he and Boo practically dragging
me the rest of the way to the Park! Once there, Maggie and I found a bench
to sit on and enjoyed our lunch. Who knows, it might be our last meal
together after I get done telling her what I needed to tell her.
"Jeez little brother, what is up wih those dogs of yours
today?" Maggie asked.
"Hell if I know! They've been acting like this since we left
the grocery," I replied. They were still doing their thing, looking over
everyone who walked by, scanning people in the distance, and seeming to be
talking with one another about whatever it was that they saw. "If I didn't
know better, I'd say they were looking for someone," I said.
"Oh well, come on, let's walk," Maggie said, standing up and
pulling me up off the bench. I opened up my backpack and took out a
well-worn frisbee. Slipping the backpack over my shoulder, I picked up my
water bottle, un-clipped both dogs, and tossed the frisbee, watching as
both Atticus and Boo took off after it.
"So, you wanted to talk?" Maggie prompted as we began to walk
slowly along one of the many walkways located in the Park, Atticus bringing
the frisbee back for me to throw again.
"Um, yeah, I guess so......"
"Go on."
"Well, see, it's like this......" I began, and proceeded to
tell her everything, and I do mean everything, up to and including today's
encounter with the gorgeous Michael Orsini, but not revealing his name, as
he is apparently, judging from the conversation I overheard at the Deli
counter, also an actor, and I didn't want to be in anyway responsible for
his possibly being outted. "......and so, the bottom line is, I'm gay."
"It's about time! I wondered when and and how long it would
take you to figure things out!" Maggie said, pulling me into a hug.
"You mean you're not upset?" I asked incredulously.
"No, silly! You're my baby brother! I could never hate you!"
"Thanks loads, Mag's!" And with that I threw the frisbee
again. Atticus watched to see where it landed, turned to Boo, gave an
excited sounding bark, and then both dogs were off and running. I realized
that they were not going to be bringing the frisbee back this time and
shouted "Atticus! No!!" about three seconds before both dogs jumped on an
un-suspecting and un-prepared Michael Orsini, and Maggie and I took off
after them!
Michael's POV
I was having the most pleasant day-dream involving the cute guy
from the grocery when I heard a muffled "whump" as something landed on the
blanket next to my right elbow, and I opened my eyes and sat up, picking up
the rather gnarled looking frisbee. The only warning I had of the
impending attack upon my person was a shouted, "Atticus! No!!" and I
looked up to see what looked like the two dogs from outside the grocery
about two seconds before I was tackled and my face was covered in sloppy
wet kisses! A few seconds later, the dogs were pulled off and I was rolled
over and I found myself looking into the bluest eyes I had ever seen. Over
his shoulder, I saw his sister trying, un-successfully, to control her
laughter, Ryan holding one of her hands, Michelle the other, both of them
covering their mouths to hide their laughter. I finally looked back up at
Jake, back into those deep blue eyes, and fell, wholeheartedly,
effortlessly, irrevocably, and permanantly, in love.
"Jesus Michael, I am so sorry about that!" he said.
I said the first thing that came into my mind---"Apology
accepted. Just tell me one thing, Gyllenhaal. Please tell me that you're
a better kisser than your dogs?"
Well, that's part two, and at last, the all important "first
meeting"! This part......It has given me as much trouble as a child going
through the "Terrible Two's", if not more! Okay, the mansion......The
mansion that I based Michael's mansion on actually existed at one time.
It was the Charles Crocker Mansion, and it was in existance in
San Francisco during the early years of the Twentieth Century, until it was
destroyed in the fire that followed the 1906 San Franciso Earthquake.
As usual, feedback is welcomed and encouraged. My email
address is dnsphelps@mcsi.net and I can frequently be found on yahoo
messanger where my chat ID is twains_fan_03, or on AOL messanger where my
chat ID is PhelpsCNA. Enjoy.......