Date: Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:06:22 -0400
From: William McBride <williamtylerking@hotmail.com>
Subject: ReClaiming Austin 21

Hello Loyal readers, frustrated fans and people pissed cause they couldn't
reach me.  December was quite the speed bump for me.  After the third
ambulance visit I was resolved that I wasn't going to see February.  I made
all my plans but then my ex called me from England (ever wonder where I got
so many anglisisms?) And made me go a different Doctor.  Turns out my Dr.s
"new" plan was cutting edge 30 years ago...  So I was put on a different
plan and am doing much better now.  The reason no one could write me is
that when all this was going down, hotmail canceled my account with no
explanation... and everytime I wrote to ask what had happened, they sent me
this lame link that told me how to log in... as if I had forgotten after 4
years of daily checking.

Anyways, I have a new account at Gmail: williamtylerking@gmail.com OR
williamtylerking@hotmail.com but I tend not to use this as much after the
last problem... I lost EVERYTHING...So please please please write me so I
can once again create my fan base and let people know when I post.

All of you mean so much to me.

Humbly yours
Billy McBride
Aka William Tyler King


Editor's Note: I would just like to take a minute here to say "welcome
back" to Billy.  The last few months have been quite a hurdle for him and
me for one am so thrilled that he is back with us, healthy, happy and
writing again.  We love ya Billy!

~Riley James
Me again! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww *blush*


Reclaiming Austin

By William Tyler King

Chapter 21


The day after Thanksgiving, Austin woke me early so we could get to my
mom's Art gallery show before the crowds arived.  I had terrible cotton
mouth and was beyond parched.  I must have drunk 3 liters of water before
brushing my teeth and then had to pee like a race horse on water pills.  I
figured it was all the cider we'd (I'd) had.  After Austin made us a large
breakfast he seemed as excited and turned on as I'd ever seen him. He
commented that I didn't seem all that excited... he was referring, of
course, to his proposal, but I really wasn't feeling great, it wasn't
anything in particular, just run down and tired I figured. I told him I was
still thrilled but had probably just eaten too much and wasn't awake yet,
then I gave him a warm smile and asked with a coy tilt of the head, "But
you still wanna marry me right?" I asked once we had breakfast out.

I asked as if his attitude might have had changed since last night. Cool as
a winter morning he snorted and lifted his paper to read the sports section
and after drinking some coffee he just said offhandedly, "We'll see,
depends on what you buy me today." I knew he was smirking like a little kid
behind his paper, "You mean besides the house?"  I asked innocently.  Our
exchange died there as I just wasn't feeling into it, so he read his sport
section and commented that we needed to get back to the gym as we'd missed
several days already. I mused that he was already bigger than Charles Atlas
and I was getting pretty damned big in my chest and arms too, he replied
that we were gay and had images to uphold... I didn't say anything, but I
suspected he just ate up the envy by "normal" guys who saw either of us,
and particularly gay men who saw us together.

If Austin hadn't kept pushing me, I'm not sure I'd even have gotten ready
that morning... thankfully the biggest puppy I'd ever known was nipping at
my heels and actually carried me to the shower and washed and shaved my
entire body by hand.  I was then lathered up and fingered in the most
blissfully teasing fashion I think he'd ever done to me. By 11 we were out
the door, and a bouncy Austin was blasting the Petshop Boys as we drove to
New Smyrna Beach.

The Museum was packed when we got there, and there were various food and
drink displays set around the gallery between the displays by the new
artists, While Austin was more drawn towards the paintings that he saw as
"normal" art, I was drawn to the sculpture and pottery and metal craft,
which I interpreted as "genuine" art.
  As quietly as we could we kept snipping at anything the other liked, we
were careful to do this under our breath because I'd already had an artist
mad at me once before for overhearing my comments to ma friend.  Luckily
that artist didn't know my mom was the curator and I'd been careful after
that to avoid her in his presence.  Mostly we were being funny and
dismissive.

I was forcing Austin to look at a display of beautiful Raku pottery when
Mom saw us and came over.  "Isn't this Beautiful Alex?" She asked me as I
was looking at a gold, tangerine, and red clouded vase.  "I knew you'd like
this man's pieces as soon as I saw them." She said before kissing each of
us.  "Yeah mom, it's beautiful," I commented before adding, "When I get the
new house, can I have my Raku collection back?" in a teasing whine.  She
smirked at me then added "O course dear, right after you and Austin do some
yard work for me." Then she patted me on the head and walked over to talk
to a few patrons.  "Man, you come buy it honest, I'll give you that!"
Austin said as we walked on. "My artistic tastes?" I asked strangely
proud. "Yeah Sure. That and your smart ass!"  he said patting my head as
she had done.

Austin dragged me to a display of paintings of nudes done in oils with
metal sculptures and wire screens attached as well as plaster and wood
pieces, Austin was gawking at the few female nudes while I was admiring
both the men and the metal sculptures when a voice from my past assaulted
my ears with the force of a hunting raptor, "Alex??? Alex Johnson?" I
turned when I heard my name and stood dumb when I looked up at the now
foreign dark haired blue eyed face from my past. It took a second for my
eyes to readjust before I realized whom it was, "Jake?"  His superior smile
and sneering shark like gaze affirmed it, my blood ran cold, something
Austin noticed as I felt his arm suddenly around my waist.  We all stood
for a moment before Jake said, "I was excited when I found out I'd be
coming so close to school..." Jake and I had gone to the university
nearby. "But I didn't think there was any chance I'd run into you here, I
figured you'd be off to Orlando or Atlanta." He said cocking his hips and
putting his hands on his hips in that familiar but superior manner he'd
always used.  Before my brain could stop screaming warnings long enough to
answer, Austin stepped slightly forward of me and struck out his hand to
shake, while keeping his left hand possessively around my waist.  "Hi, I'm
Austin, and you are???"  Austin was leaving no doubt that I was his, I was
exceedingly grateful, I was all but ready to make a weak excuse there and
leave as quickly as possible, with my savior of course.  "Jake, Jake
Lebeau, Alex and I dated in College." Jake said with an air of superiority,
letting Austin know he'd had me first.  I wanted to add that it hadn't been
so much dating as it had been abuse and psychological torture, and that
Jake had left me battered and wanting to kill myself after he'd left me for
an eighteen year old nursing student in Tallahassee. However, my sense of
decorum and propriety managed to keep me still, Austin knew something was
up and I could see the exact moment he figured out who Jake was. Austin
laughed and said "oooh, I was still in junior high then!" This slapped Jake
momentarily.

"An old friend of Alex's?  Well god, I'd love to invite you over," Austin
continued, as though he had no idea whom Jake was. His words made me panic
and grasp his hand as hard as I could pleading for him not to, "But Alex
and I are real busy getting ready for a trip in two weeks to Palm Springs,
you know all the packing and all that, we just don't have any time right
now." Austin said as bold and smooth as a Prince.  "Palm Springs?  What's
the occasion? You missed the big white party!" Jake asked with a curiosity
so pure it took his sneer away.  Austin lifted my left hand and entwined
our fingers and displayed the ring he'd given me. "Marriage" was all he
said.  This took all the fire out of Jake's irritating sails, his face fell
and Jake stuttered a weak, "Oh? Well, ummm, congratulations."

Not content with just taking the wind from his sails, Austin wrapped a big
arm around my neck and pulled me close to nuzzle my ear, "Have you found
anything for the new place yet? Or anything for Ryan and Michael?" He asked
me sweetly before kissing my nose.  I paused a moment looking away from
Jake, whose great beauty had been lost through too much partying, Smoking,
late nights, and extreme weight loss, he was almost gaunt.  And his skin
was pale now and his eyes sunken.  "Ummm, I like these nudes, but I don't
think the artist is around." I said softly.

"Michael?" Jake asked suddenly? "You're still friends with Michael?" Jake
asked me.

Jake had hated Michael which was evident from the way his voice dropped
when he said his name. Michael had been part of the reason Jake had lost
control of me.

"This is a different Michael, a football player; but my Michael is dating
an ex of mine down in Orlando." I said softly, still shook up and
distracted by Jake's presence.  Austin suddenly turned on me and winked so
Jake couldn't see it.  "Do we have to hear about the damned underwear Model
again?" He said with an exaggerated sigh and snort.  This was something he
might have actually done a week ago; this though, was purely for Jake's
consumption.

Jake had always hated Michael, even before Michael began talking to me
about leaving Jake.  Michael was taller and totally unimpressed with any of
Jakes bullshit and told him so the first time they met.  And when Jake
threatened him Michael stepped closer and laughed in his face.  The last
the time they saw each other, Michael came over to our apartment after
having gone out to the bars to see why I hadn't met him there... and when
he saw my black eye and bruised face, he marched in and dragged Jake out of
bed by his foot and yanked him right out the door screaming and yelling and
locked him out in his underwear and stayed the night with me, never asking
me a thing and later pretended the entire thing hadn't happened. We never
talked about that night later, about what either of them had done.  It was
less than two weeks later that Jake left me. Though to be honest, that was
as much because Natasha had back handed him over our kitchen table and
slapped him so hard he lost a tooth when she'd seen my black eye, then told
him her brothers would be happy to kill a "fucking white trash faggot" if
she asked them to, and insisted that they'd never get caught because they
knew how to dispose of bodies the right way, "Gators!"

"I'll go get the artist, I know who he is, we're kind of dating..." Jake
offered a lot less arrogantly than he had been moments ago.  I could tell
by Austin's look that he wanted to get me out of there, not out of
jealousy, but because I'd told him all about Jake.  He knew it was a point
of utter disparity for me, a time when I'd let someone else take control of
me, He knew enough to know this and to be able to read my body language. If
this had taken place else where, I have no doubt that Austin would have
punched Jake out and probably tossed his bloody body in a trashcan.


"So, you know Jake from College yes?" This older Hispanic man said as he
walked up, his name tag said "Julio Juarez" just like the works we were
looking at.

We discussed his work a while as Austin purposely stared at Jake and
intimidated him through unsmiling eyes, though to be honest, he never made
so much as an aggressive move.  His actions said clearly that Jake no
longer had any power over me no matter what he thought, and Austin would
protect what was his.  If I'd actually have had any doubt about Austin's
suitability as my mate, his actions today allayed any fears I might have
withheld.

"Please, you come with me," Julio said to me, "I want to show you pieces in
the back that management said were too `controversial' for this exhibit."
Julio said as he turned, I squeezed Austin's hand and said I'd be right
back as I followed Julio.  I hated leaving Austin with Jake, but I was glad
to be away from Jake and trusted Austin after his display.  Austin had
proved himself a versatile warrior who could defend me in a myriad of ways.

After we entered the back storage room Julio walked over to a table with
several of his more... "graphic" pieces on them, one had a three
dimensional penis that stuck out 6 inches.

"You like? Is more your style maybe?" Julio asked looking up at me.  I was
thinking how sad it was for a successful artist, a fairly good looking man
in his 40s, to be stuck with a leach like Jake, who had once been a an
attractive guy, but who now looked like any bar fly some one might drag
home at the end of a long night of partying.  Julio smiled as he read my
eyes.  "Maybe Jacob overstated that he was your friend yes?" He asked with
an arched brow.  I didn't know what to say.  "He... we dated, it didn't end
so well." I said simply.  I walked over and held up a piece with a nude man
throwing a football; a wire mesh audience surrounded it.  "There is more
you are not saying I think."  Julio added while looking at the piece I
held.  "Look, he seems to treat you well, maybe I just didn't have the
money or the age to know how to keep him. We were in college and both very
young." Then I added softly, "He had a cruel streak in the past." I said as
I was hoping to change the subject.

"Your both still very young, children, and he still has a cruel streak, but
he doesn't let it out around me." Julio said. He then added, "I know he hit
you Alex, he bragged about it once to me, I told him that a real man
doesn't need to hurt others to be a man, That it only showed his weakness
and an evil soul!" He said as he put a hand on my shoulder, I started to
shake and suddenly felt trapped.  "Relax Alex; I saw how he was getting to
you.  That's why I got you away from him. You wonder why I am with someone
like him yes?" I nodded trying to look at the canvas.  "He is a companion
with free time, nothing more, although he wants to date me I think, mostly
for my drugs and my house on south beach I suspect. However I will be
leaving him in Ft Lauderdale with his mother when I go home.  His drug use
will kill him soon enough, that or his Aids."  Julio said ominously. I
suddenly went pale, it all made sense now.  I looked up in his eyes,
shocked.  "I had no idea." I said.  He nodded, "He hasn't told me yet to be
honest, but I know the signs, to be my age and gay, you learn to spot the
signs.  But know this Alex, when he is gone, all the evil he has done to
you and the others, it all dies with him, and he will have left no one to
mourn him... not even me really.  And you, you will be happily married to
this Austin, with friends and loved ones about you.  Do not forgive him if
you don't feel ready, but find it in your heart to pity him until you can,
your heart needs forgiveness Alex, yes? Hatred and regret will sit like a
poison on your soul."

I looked up at this artist with big eyes, "Thank you." I said in awe, in 20
seconds he had... given me a peace I hadn't known since I'd been a
sophomore.  So I asked about the piece of art and he said, "Since you are
family, for you, $250." I was stunned; his works all went for $800 and up.
So I asked him to hold the small female nude Austin had been ogling as
well.  I hugged Julio and we exchanged cards, then I told to him to be
careful how he ended it with Jake as he had a surprising violent streak.
Plus Jake knew Judo we had met in my dojo while we were in school, though
to be honest, Jake was never very good, his green belt was only given him
because he was with me.  Julio laughed and said, "I'm from South Florida
Alex, and Cuban judo is some of the best in the world.  I have a black belt
in Jujitsu actually, Let him try." And then he laughed.

Outside I walked up to find Austin talking with my Mom. I noticed that Jake
was gone, I worried a moment that Austin had done something and hid the
body, and then I saw Jake outside though a window smoking. Some bad habits
never died. Austin and I hugged and kissed my Mom and said "See you later
Mom, cool show!" and I held up the piece I had just bought to show her.
Austin walked with me outside, he was embarrassed by the picture I was
carrying with the naked young man and then I reminded him that ½ the
artists were gay and that he'd already held my hand, put his arms around
me, and kissed me inside, so it wasn't like anyone was going to be
surprised. He screwed up his face a moment then grinned and kissed my
nose. "Pervert!"

We talked a great deal about Jake on the ride home, and I told him how
utterly proud I was of how he'd handled everything.  "We're getting married
in Palm Springs huh?" I teased him after a long silence.  "Sooooooo, he
didn't need to know it was Michael and Ryan getting married in Palm
Springs, It sure as shit shut his mouth!"  Austin added with puppy like
exuberance.  "Yeah it did, thank you badboy!" I said sincerely, thinking
though of how Jake was dying of Aids.

"What is it?" Austin asked suddenly, it was his definitive voice.

"Jake's got Aids." I said slowly, the truth still harder to say than to
believe...

"What an Idiot!!!" was all Austin said though he reached over and took my
hand in his as a reassurance. It remained unspoken that we were still
watching Austin for any number of venereal diseases after what had happened
to him.  Jake though had slept with every boy, man, and barfly he'd ever
met though, and I seriously doubted he'd ever let a condom get between him
and a good time... God knows he'd brought home a number of "little friends"
while we were together and I'd been screened carefully for years after he
was gone to make sure he hadn't left me with anything serious.

"It's not as if he didn't know the risks, not like he caught it before
people knew how to stop it," Austin said angrily, "Not as if it was given
to him against his will!" He added, I suspect he was talking about himself
here.

"It doesn't change anything baby, he was trying to bully me and you stopped
it decisively!" I added.

"Know what I want right now?" Austin said changing the subject. "MMMMMMM,"
I wondered, "an unpronounceable French Pastry?" I said with a grin.

"Nope, I want you at home with your mouth so full you won't be able to talk
for a while," Austin said with a lecherous grin.

"MMmmmmmmmmm, sounds great... Howbout we stop for haircuts and maybe some
lunch first?"  I asked. We needed haircuts before we went to Palm Springs.

We went to the shopping center I usually went to get my hair cut, as usual
Tom was working, Tom was Florida's only straight male hairdresser and
always a fun and wound up character.  Austin had gone to him a few times
since moving in with me.  Rather then the normal haircut I'd always gotten
in the past, I opted for a Caesar like Austin's.

"A Caesar???" Tom asked, "Yup, just like Austin's!" I smiled at Tom through
the mirror.  "You know everyone will think you're his dog." Tom added.

"Thanks Michael!" I said sarcastically as he knew who Michael was only too
well. The two of us had put on our trademarked show here several times.

Austin couldn't stop feeling my hair later or making sexy or suggestive
comments during lunch.

So when I fuck you later, I wonder if it'll be like masturbating..." Austin
mused arrogantly.

"Keep that up and you won't have to wonder!" I added smartly.

"Ohhh get off it, you know you owe me after this morning!" Austin said
teasing me.

It smacked me a bit and I could see Austin balk as my face fell... He began
to apologize when I looked up seriously.  "Austin, I thank you for what you
did, but I don't owe you...  the truth is, I always want to have sex with
you, even when I don't feel good.  You never ask me to do anything I don't
feel ready for... and that's one of the reason's you're here and Jake
isn't.  I love it when you push me, but I hated being guilted into doing
crap I didn't want to do.

Austin was serious a moment, his fire gone in light of my seriousness,
"Alex, you know I'll never make that fucking demand of you... though to be
quite honest, I can't think of a thing that I could ask you to do that you
wouldn't do, hell, haven't already done with me."  He was referring to our
forays into bondage and roll playing.

"Jake thought of a whole lot that he pressured me into." I said softly
before eating a chip.

Austin was quiet, I knew he was curious but didn't want to push me on this,
my embarrassment was evident.

"Jake... used to arrange for me to...sleep with friends of his... turns out
he was trading me for drugs and favors..." I was barely audible, though we
were far from anyone who could hear me. I could see the anger in Austin's
face and was glad we were away from Jake, for his sake.

"He WHAT?!?!?!?" Austin hissed.

"He... whored me out for drugs... but honest, I didn't know at first.  He
would guilt me into it... and then call me names afterwards, make me feel
ashamed for cheating on him.  That was before the physical abuses started."
I said barely audible... I was so worried Austin would get up and leave me
once he knew this.

"Look at me Alex." Austin ordered sternly.

I looked up though my head was hung in shame.

"NO ONE gets to touch you ever again, NO ONE!  That ring means what you
said, about me owning you, and you owning me. WE are a fucking couple now,
and that fucking bastard is paying for all the things he did to you.  He's
lucky as shit I didn't know this earlier or I would have taken him outside
and shown him my fist over and over as it pounded his fucking face in."

And that's when I realized how deeply the two of us were connected, when he
was worried about my past, and wanted to protect me from any hurt... and
more than ever, I wanted to give this man everything I had.

"I'm getting lunch baby, then we're going home and doing whatever you
want...  well, before 6pm when Michael and Ryan are coming up anyways." I
smiled demurely at Austin, he beamed at me.

"God you're easy!" he teased through eyes that told me how much he loved
me, and that he'd meant every word he'd said earlier.

I stuck my tongue out but gave him my sexiest eyes.

Later, back at the apartment, I was cleaning up the crap Austin had knocked
on the floor as he'd wiped it all off the top of my dresser when he'd moved
me up there for what can only be termed, an extremely athletic sex act
after we'd showered.  Ryan and Michael were chatting with Austin in the
living room when Michael popped in and started laughing...

"And how did all that land up on the floor?????" Michael asked with great
amusement as he stood in the doorway.

"Earthquake!" was my short answer as I was putting the colognes on the
tray.

Michael reached over my head and gently lifted something as he said "Ohhh,
I can believe that!" Then he dropped an opened condom wrapper down to the
floor before wiping his hands on a towel.

"Uhhh, you might want to go wash your hands now Michael"

"Don't worry, I barely touched the condom," Michael said.

I was looking down at the broken lamp when I said, "Yeah, but that was our
cum rag!"

Michael ran to the bathroom after dropping the towel screaming
"DISENFECTENT I have dog germs." Like Lucy on the Peanuts.

Austin and Ryan were in the door way a moment later, "What did you do to my
boyfriend?" Ryan asked in mock annoyance.

"Nothing, I only told him the towel he was using to wipe his hands was...
uhhh, dirty" I grinned letting everyone absorb my meaning.  "YUCK, don't
you put it in the dirty laundry when you're done?" Ryan asked.  Austin
beamed, "it hasn't had time to make it there yet, hell, it's probably still
warm!"

"Welcome to the frat house!" I shot up to Ryan through rolled eyes.

"You two are fucking rabbits." Michael laughed as he came back in the room.

"Horny rabbits!" Ryan corrected.  "Well shit, when I dated girls, I walked
on egg shells and tried everything I could to get some once in a while, now
all I have to do is ask, "hey, you wanna?" and he's naked and wondering why
I'm still dressed." Austin bragged as he helped me stand up.

"And he IS 23!" I added as though that explained everything."

Austin grimaced a moment then asked, "Heeey! So why is it you attack me so
fucking often then???"  Austin asked as though he'd caught me on a point. I
rolled my eyes and just said, "Hello, I just said you were 23!!!"  We all
laughed and then Michael asked where we were eating dinner since obviously
Austin wasn't cooking.

"We're going to the Lobster Pot unless one of you objects." I said as I
started changing into a button up shirt.

"Nooo, not that one, wear the silver one!"  Austin chirped in.  " Why? You
hate the Lycra!" I asked perplexed.  "Not when I tie you to the bed in
it..." Austin smirked at me as he slid out the door.

"Rabbits!" was all Ryan said as he turned off the lights and pulled the
door shut behind us.

Ryan and Michael had brought up some extra pieces of luggage for us as we
were both...  local boys.  Austin had lost all of his to Gene, and I'd
never gotten more then a duffle.  The two of them went over a brief... list
of what we'd need, "It's clothing optional so you won't need swim suits
unless one of you suddenly gets self-conscious."  Michael said.  "But you
will need your suits for the rehearsal dinner." Ryan added.  "And something
for partying and maybe clubbing..." Michael thought as we neared the Saint
Johns River.

"You only brought three suitcases? Shit dudes! Alex can't even get all his
shoes for a weekend in that." Austin said quite proud of himself.

"Sure I can Baby, I'll just treat you as a carry on!"  I said with a smirk.

"We have a room for you where we're staying at the &&&&&&&." Michael said.

When we finally arrived and were seated I suddenly felt as though I was
sitting at a table full of straight men as the conversation turned to
football teams.  After five minutes of rolling my eyes and sighing as if
I'd thought any of them might notice I suddenly let out with, "Holy crap,
that waiter isn't wearing any underwear!"  He was of course, but the three
of them suddenly stopped talking.

"Yeah he is!" Michael said bewildered that I would make such a simple
mistake,

"I know, I was just making sure the three of you were still gay!" I said
with a smirk.  Ryan gave me a dirty look which I'm sure Austin was too, "I
would have thought this afternoon would have fucking proved which fucking
team I'm playing for now," Austin said still talking with football lingo.

Not wanting to let him down too quickly, I said, "You made a few a really
good passes but the past five minutes have been a total fumble!" I said as
I raised my glass for a drink.

"Someone isn't happy unless HE'S the center of attention!" Ryan said
looking right at me.

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't need to be the center of every
conversation.  BUT, I should feel a part of any I'm privy to at
least... talk real estate, business,
  legal strategy, or fucking nuclear physics, ANYTHING but sports!!!" I
replied then took a long drink.

"He's got a point." Michael said backing me up.

The waitress came over a minute later, we always got waitresses as a group
of men, unless My Michael asked for "a really cute waiter" when we were
being seated. Before smoking in restaurants became illegal, when the host
would ask if we wanted smoking or none smoking, Michael would proudly say"
We'll need FLAMING! Thank you!"

So Michael, Ryan and I got seafood and Austin ordered a big steak.  The
food was great and Austin surprised all of us by paying for it when he got
up to use the bathroom.

I told Ryan and Michael about how proud I was of how Austin had out
maneuvered Jake and come to my rescue.  So when Austin sat back down
Michael said, "Awww, it's Alex's Knight in Abercrombie armor."  Austin
puffed out his chest and said "I don't know about that, but I've seen ex
boyfriends treat girls I was with like shit before, and this was no
different, that ass was trying to intimidate Alex and belittle me.  So I
handed him his own sorry ass."  I leaned my head on his arm and said, "Yeah
you did, and I won't ever doubt you again baby, not that I did this time,
but DAMN you exceeded expectations!"

"It would have been more fucking satisfying if I hadn't found out he was so
damned sick though..." he added as an after thought.

"Sick?" Ryan asked.

"The artist told Alex that Jake had fucking Aids." Austin said.

We were all quiet after that.  We walked to the jeep in a cool dark night
devoid of the billion mosquitoes that haunted the tree lined walk during
the summers.

At the top of the stairs to our apartment we found a large round box, It
was crudely wrapped in white paper and had a large silver bow on it.
Austin dove for the card and opened it and read the card out loud, "Dear
Austin and Alex, I could only buy one hat since my hat fit Austin but
Alex's head is smaller.  Anyways, thanks for the great Thanksgiving and I
hope ya'all have a great wedding this weekend.  James will give ya'all my
phone number when ya'all get back.  Alex, I still owe you a hat, but merry
Christmas.  Christian."

Then Austin ripped the box open and lifted out a black felt cowboy hat and
put it on.

"A nice young man left that box for you my dears."  Mrs. Tremere said from
her kitchen window which looked out at the walk way.

"Hello Mon Cher" All of us said in unison. I mean while was shoving
everyone out of the way as I dragged my cowboy to the apartment and
unlocked the door.

"Ryan, why is Alex dragging Austin to the apartment?" Michael asked.

Ryan reached over and tapped Michael and whispered loudly,"Remember,
they're rabbits! Horny fucking rabbits!"

Austin was laughing but allowing me to tug him around, "And ya'all are
forgettin' about Alex's hat fetish!" He said with a noticeable drawl.

I stopped inside the apartment and turned to face Ryan and Michael, "Look
at that boy!" I said indicating Austin who was grinning his award winning
smile, "Now picture him smiling wearing nothing but that hat!"  Ryan
suddenly pushed me out of the way and dragged a laughing Austin towards the
bedroom, "I said IMAGINE it!" I growled following the pair.

"Does this mean I should dig my hat out?" Michael asked from behind me.

"YES!" Austin, Ryan, and I said in unison.  Then we all laughed.  Ryan and
Austin retrieved the luggage while I fixed everyone a drink.  I handed
Michael his and said I was sorry I didn't have any martini glasses or
makings yet.

"Well, you will soon dear, you're moving to College Park, you'll have to
drink Martinis then." Michael said with a grin.

"I'll have to invent a Southern Comfort martini I guess!" I said sipping my
drink.

"Ahhh, we can take the small town southern boy out of the small town,
but..."  Michael mused.

"Hey, at least my drink doesn't have a pull tab!" I said indicating the
fridge full of Budweiser we had.

"Touché" Michael said holding his glass up in a mock toast.

So the four of us talked and bantered until 10 when Ryan and Michael left
"cowboy frisky" and me.  "So what do you wanna do now?" I asked innocently
as he walked in the bedroom.

"Just a second hon, I need to find something then I'll let you decide."
Austin called out.

I waited about five minutes before Austin came out wearing the black hat, a
pair of black leather chaps we'd gotten, a pair of combat boots, and a
smirk that could be read in outer space.

"Howdy partner!" was all he said as I slid off the couch to the floor with
my mouth agape.

True to his earlier word, he tied me to the bed and used every trick he'd
learned so far to make me speak in tongues.  Mostly I said his name and
cursed erotically, but a few times my speech devolved into moans, and
guttural exclamations.

After he finally finished and was cuddled around me in a tight spoon he
asked innocently, "Do you objectify me?"  "Yeah, you mind?" I responded
smiling.  "Naa, I think it's kinda sexy to be honest."  He was quiet a
moment then he asked "so,Is that it though? Is that all I am?"  I was
curious about his sudden... curiosity. So I turned over to face him. "How
can you think that Baby?  Hon, you're my mate, my playmate, my
partner... my hero, Austin, You've become the biggest and best part of
every day." I said before kissing his lip softly.  Austin beamed a moment
then said with a little tease, "well is it too much to ask to hear it once
in a while?"  I grinned now that I knew he was blushing in the dark.  "No,
it's not too much to ask... Please forgive me?"  I asked as I cuddled
against him.  "I'll think about." He said as he wrapped me up in his big
arms.  And that's how we fell asleep.

Since I wasn't working that weekend as Henna and George had gone to her
Moms for Thanksgiving, we were free to spend a Sunday as we wanted to.
Austin and Mrs.  Tremere made a huge breakfast and we all had a nice
relaxing breakfast when Mrs.  Tremere got a huge grin and said, "My
children, this may be one of the last meals we have together like this."
It was then that it sunk in and both Austin and I sat stunned a
moment. "Nooo, Mrs. Tremere, we'll have dinners, an occasional breakfast,
I'll still be coming over for cooking lessons..." Austin said in an
appeasing manner.  "Mon Cher, you won't be next door, but you are still
part of my family." I said as I got up and hugged her.

"I can't remember if we discussed this before the two of you left for
Orlando, but I have news of my own." Mrs. Tremere smiled.

"Do I guess or are you gonna say something?" I asked.

"I am moving as well, after Christmas I think." Mrs. Tremere smiled as she
poured more coffee in Austin's cup.

"With Mr. Riley?" Austin asked.

"Yes, he invited me to stay with him... one day we may marry, but neither
of us is rushing this yet." She said with a glow.  I stood up and hugged
her and said how glad I was she wouldn't be here alone, and then Austin
hugged her right over me.

Mrs. Tremere left shortly after that to go down and visit "Ivan".  Austin
read his sports page dressed in a pair of boxers and a tank top and I laid
my head on his lap and watched TV as he stroked my hair.

At about 2pm the phone rang and woke me up, I listened as Austin grabbed
it,
  "Hi Natasha," He started, "Ohhh Nothing, he's sleeping on my lap and I'm
reading the sports page."  I smiled thinking he thought I was still
asleep. "This weekend?  Shit, we're going to Ryan and Michael's wedding out
in Palm Springs!"  Austin said with a moan.

"What is it?" I mouthed up at him from his lap. "Natasha said the girls are
moving out early and the place will be free this weekend!" Austin said with
his ear on the phone.  "Yeah, Alex just woke up." Austin said in the
receiver.

"Shit shit shit!!! I said sitting up suddenly.  "We have to move a week
early???"

Austin rolled his eyes. "Hello? Didn't you just hear me say we were going
to fucking Palm Springs?" He asked.  "We could start today!" I said
excitedly.  "You only have three boxes packed." Austin interjected. "We
have all week!" I pleaded. "You mean when we aren't packing or at work."
Austin said sounding inscrutably logical.  "And who's gonna help me with
the bed and the big stuff?" Austin suddenly said.  "What? Like I'm a 60
pound weakling???" I said a little excited.

Austin rolled his eyes, "It has nothing to do with how strong you are baby,
you don't have the reach or the height." Austin pleaded.  "Give me the
phone when you're done." I said and laid back down.  So Austin and Natasha
gabbed a few more minutes and when he hung up he handed the phone down to
me.  So I took it and dialed, "Hey Michael, Can I ask you a favor bitch?" I
said leading in, and then I called Phil and Dan, then Glen, then
Dennis. "There, all the big guys you ever wanted." I said smirking as I
lifted his shirt and sucked and chewed on his overly sensitive nipple
before running to the spare room to pack.

"TEASE!" He yelled after me before he whined that we had no boxes yet.  I
grabbed a few broken down boxes and some packing tape and tossed them on
our bed and said "Nice try whiney boy!"

It was about 45 degrees out when we finally packed the first few boxes in
my jeep and headed down at dusk to start moving in.  The conversation on
our ride down was...  well... interesting.

Austin sighed at first, an indication that he was thinking of something.
"'Sup hon?" I asked the pensive driver.  "It's nothing..." He said with
another sigh.  "Pretty deep, your `nothing'." I said back to him.  "Well, I
mean, we're getting a new house, we have decent jobs... I just always
figured..." He trailed off, so I finished his sentence for him, "that you'd
be starting a family?"  He didn't say anything, but he nodded... "Sorry
hon, I was thinking about kids and how we can't have any."

I gambled on a comedic approach, "You do plan to keep trying though
right???" I asked excitedly.  Austin laughed "Yes perve... and maybe one
day soon we can stop using the fucking condom.  That'll increase our
fucking chances."

"Not sure that'll help, me not having ovaries and all, but if you think
it'll help!" I said shoving him in the arm.

"Hey, you could be on Oprah and Ricky Lake and the whole talk show
circuit...  You could face angry Republicans and have huge black women
defending you!"  Austin said with a smirk.

"That Republican says one thing about my baby and there won't be near
enough guards!"  I said defiantly.

"Besides hon, there are ways around the whole adoption ban; we just have to
have the money for it." I added trying to bring his mood up.

"You mean aside from getting you pregnant?" he said,

"I'm not saying I want you to stop trying or anything, but there are
several other ways we can do this when we're ready..."

"When we're ready?" Austin repeated.  "Yeah hon, it's a romantic thought,
but there is no part of our life that's... stable enough for a baby right
now, besides, you're only 23, I think you have a few wild years left yet,
hell, I know I do."

"So you've thought about this?" Austin asked.

"Yeah, even before you proposed..." I admitted.

"What about a dog?" Austin asked as a compromise, "We could start with a
pet."

"You mean a cat?" I countered thinking about the walks in the rain but
knowing Austin's proclivity toward large dogs.

"No, I mean a dog, a big barking rough housing dog." Austin said adamantly.

`Honey," I said sighing, "with our crazy schedules right now, a dog isn't
feasible, we'll be gone a lot, and who will walk him?  And where in that
little place will we keep a large dog???"  Austin sighed and began a
pensive pout, "yeah, you're right... and with a cat we can always stay over
night if we want to..."

"Baby, one day we'll get a big new place, and we can fill it with kids,
dogs, ponies, soccer equipment and baseball diamonds if that's what you
want..." I said proudly.

Austin cheered up at the thought, "Yeah?  Can I keep you barefoot and
pregnant in the kitchen too?" He asked teasingly.  "Yeah, like YOU'D let ME
in YOUR kitchen!" I replied.

"Mmmm, you have a point my little toast maker.  Well, can I keep you naked
and fucking pregnant?"

"What will the children say with me walking around naked?" I smirked at
him.

"Alex, sweetie, who says I'm ever going to untie you from the bed?" Austin
leered at me.

"Ok, we'll both stay naked, you do the kitchen and I'll carry the babies."
I agreed.

"You just want my fucking cock in you!" Austin teased.

"Keep up that attitude and you'll have to get yourself pregnant." I shot
back before kissing his hand.

"I can't wait to fucking try to get you pregnant all over the new place."
Austin said seductively in his raspiest voice.  "Well, since we've done it
on every surface and in every position in our current apartment, I guess
you need to expand you're...  Mmmmm, `territory'." I said smiling.

"I'm gonna fucking nail you on the bare floor tonight." Austin said
matter-of-factly.  "Yeah?" I queried back at him as a huge grin spread
across my face.  "On the carpet not the cold wood right?" I asked with a
small plea.  "Anywhere I fucking choose!" Austin replied cockily.  A shiver
went through me but it wasn't from the cold...



So this is the endo of chapter 21, only two or three left, I tend to think
more since we aren't near the boys wedding yet...

Let me know what you think: williamtylerking@gmail.com