Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2015 20:37:51 -0600
From: Jesse Hamill <jesse.hamill88@gmail.com>
Subject: The Love of Rainn - 13

Jesse Hamill

This is a love story between two consenting males and contains sexual
themes and graphic depictions of sexual acts. It is by no means a sex
story, and focuses on the relationship and romance first. This is also work
of fiction. All characters in this story are fictitious. Any resemblance to
actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.

This is my first work for Nifty and any criticism, comments, improvements
or thanks can be directed at jesse.hamill88@gmail.com. I appreciate all the
comments and support that I've received so far, so thanks readers!

***As always, a special thanks to my editor, Mattie. Your hard work is much
appreciated by me and the readers. Thank you!***

Remember to please donate to nifty.org to help keep these stories free. We
depend on your support, and even a small donation will do!


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The Love of Rainn: Chapter 13


Rainn had always walked to school. He walked with Gran to elementary
school, just two blocks south and three blocks west of his house. Rainn
walked to middle school half a mile north, sometimes in wet weather and
sometimes in the snow. And, when he got to high school, it was no
different. Rainn walked to West Valley High School, a mile away from his
door, almost every weekday. Gran was retired and offered him a ride
whenever he wanted, but he choose to walk. He loved the fresh morning air
and being able to have his thoughts uninterrupted.

As Rainn finished his bagel with cream cheese, he said bye to his Gran and
headed out the door. He always left early to have enough time to enjoy the
scenery and to never be late for his first class. Rainn had grabbed an old
bag he owned and filled it with his school things. He was still a little
down after his other bag was trashed.

As he looked out the door, Rainn was surprised to see Jesse waiting for him
at the end of the driveway. He was almost angelic in the morning light,
with the fog from last night's rain floating cloud-like on the ground. He
was dressed in a vivid teal button-up shirt over a black t-shirt. Rainn had
his favorite red hoodie and a blue shirt on today, a little plain, but his
hair was to his satisfaction. He fussed over it this morning, anticipating
the first time he would see Jesse. Rainn was glad it was right now.

Jesse had his own bag and a large box. Rainn approached him happily and
curious.

"Here," Jesse said, smiling. "This is for you, courtesy of the flower shop,
my mom, and me. I know you'll think it's too much, but we won't take it
back."

He gave Rainn the box wrapped in some simple rose print paper, and he
opened it right there on the sidewalk. It contained a new sketchbook, some
drawing pencils, two bottles of ink, some brushes, and a new messenger bag.

Rainn was overjoyed, and felt all of sudden a little too emotional. He was
holding back tears, both happy and sad.

"And this," Jesse said, "this is just from me."

Jesse handed him a smaller box, cylindrical in shape, wrapped in a simple
green paper. Rainn opened it, not sure what to expect and was quite
surprised to see what it was. It was a can of mace, and according to the
label, appropriate to use on both angry men and bears alike.

"Mace!?" Rainn asked.

Noticing the shock and nervousness on Rainn's face, Jesse offered to show
him how to use it.

"Just make sure it's capped well, otherwise it might go off in your
bag. And, when you're ready," he said, "flip the cap down, aim and press
the trigger down. Empty the whole thing if you have to."

Rainn was still a little stunned and thought, *Mace, really?*

Well... if Jesse hadn't acted on Sunday, he might have lost more than a
sketchbook.... In that case, he would gladly take it and use it if he had
to.

He smiled and put it in his new bag. Rainn then opened and transferred all
his new supplies to it, as well. The new bag was a dark brown leather with
a weather and water resistant finish to it. Rainn loved it.

"Wait just a sec... okay?" Rainn asked him.

"Sure..." Jesse replied.

Rainn smiled and dashed off back to the house. He ran in threw off his old
bag, and quickly showed off his new bag and supplies to Gran.

"Make sure to say thank you to Jesse and Diana both! Maybe write a thank
you note or... a nice painting would be a fine gesture!" she said to him.

"Okay Gran!" he said dashing off again, "I'll see you after school!"

She smiled and waved goodbye to him.

*A proper thanks? I think I know one way to thank Jesse...* he thought.

Jesse was still waiting for him, still angelic, otherworldly in the mist
and morning sun. Rainn walked right up to him and looked him in the
eyes. Jesse was too kind, too gorgeous and Rainn wondered how he could have
been so lucky. Rainn was only an inch or so shorter than him, so he leaned
forward, not quite on his tiptoes. Time slowed and Rainn could hear only
his own heartbeat. Rainn locked eyes with Jesse and came closer to his
handsome face. He closed his eyes and kissed Jesse full on the lips, but
for only a second. His nerves were getting the best of him, but... Jesse
was so close....

Rainn leaned in again for a second kiss. He tenderly cupped Jesse's cheek
with his right hand. They stared into each other's eyes before their lips
met again. The world swayed under his feet and nothing else mattered. There
was nothing that could compare to this moment, this wonderful and tender
moment of time. Jesse's lips were soft and warm. His breath was
minty. Rainn kissed him innocently, just soft and slow contact of lips.

It was Rainn's first, well... second kiss, and in many ways it will likely
be his most memorable. He acted only on instinct and from what he
remembered in the movies. Simple is sometimes best, Rainn thought, and he
wasn't wrong. There would be time for tongue and heavy make-out sessions
later, but right now... Right now affection was more than enough.

He finished and pulled back to see Jesse's face bright red. He always
blushes, it was too cute...

"Wow... that was...." Jesse said.

"Good?" Rainn asked.

"Yeah... I was... going... to say... hot..." he said,
breathless. "....um.... thank you..."

"No... thank you for everything you've done for me. And for all this..." he
said indicating his new bag and supplies.

"You're welcome... I'll keep in mind that you like gifts," he said, smiling
a bit mischievously.

"Yeah, I do... especially drawing supplies. There's more kisses in return,
too." Rainn blushed a little.

"Well, if they're anything like the last one..." Jesse said, also
blushing. "You're good at it... my heart's still racing..."

Rainn smiled, shyly. "Well, it was... my first, so... I wasn't sure..."

"Mine, too actually... No, it was... perfect."

Rainn felt a little woozy. The words were only just registering in his
brain.

*Did he just say it was his first kiss, too? He's so hot! How could I be
his first?? It was prefect?! YES!!* Rainn thought, feeling ecstatic.

As Rainn and Jesse started walking to school together, they didn't say much
to one another. They didn't need to. Rainn felt a little shy as they first
started walking, not sure whether to hold his hand or not, especially after
his display of affection. It didn't matter though, because Jesse grabbed
his hand slowly and gently. Rainn was a little nervous and hoped he
wouldn't be too sweaty...  or clammy... or weird.

Jesse's hand was strong and smooth. Rainn knew that his own hands were a
little rough, stained and dry from working with paints and ceramics. He
just hoped that Jesse wouldn't mind, it seemed as if he didn't.

*Note to self,* Rainn thought. *Buy some hand moisturizer! Two bottles!*

What more could be said about that morning? There was something special
about holding hands with someone that you care for. Whether that was his
Gran as Rainn walked with her to kindergarten, or now with Jesse as he
walked to high school. It was the same good feeling. You feel so safe,
secure, so special that you wonder how you ever walked alone. Rainn was
more than elated, more than happy. He had someone that would care for him,
never be embarrassed to be seen with him, and someone that accepted him for
who he was.

The walk to school was familiar. Rainn had seen it everyday for the past
eight months, but today? Today, it was different. There was a new purpose,
a new awareness, and new perspective that Rainn never noticed before. The
sky was bluer, the ground was less solid, the air was cleaner and
crisper. The April weather had never been so beautiful in all its breezes,
clouds, and sunshine. Rainn was experiencing every cliché about love
and springtime that was ever written, sung, or expressed. It might be too
syrupy sweet, but he didn't mind. For once, Rainn could enjoy what he was
only ever witness to. Love was world changing.

As they passed the gate to the school grounds, Jesse stopped. He let go of
Rainn's hand and turned to talk to him. His hazel eyes were serious and
filled with concern.

"I... don't want to... push you... into being uncomfortable... If you don't
want to be seen holding hands, or being around me, I'll understa--" Jesse
started to say.

"What? No! I would never feel uncomfortable, if you're with me!" Rainn
replied, excited. "Of course I want to hold your hand..." He looked at
Jesse and smiled sincerely.

Jesse smiled, a little surprised with Rainn's new confidence.

"Sorry... bad experiences from the past...," Jesse said, "just... be
aware. It's not always easy coming out."

Rainn looked into his concerned and worried eyes. Jesse was still
protecting him, but Rainn was ready for this.

"It's fine. I have a certain finger for anyone that looks too long....and
besides that, I also have thumbs, which enable me to use my new can of
mace."

"Oh?" Jesse asked.

 "And, this really cute bodyguard to back me up!" Rainn said shyly.

Jesse blushed, but laughed and his good demeanor returned. Rainn smiled and
grabbed Jesse's hand as they walked to Rainn's first class, which was on
the second floor. They certainly got some awkward looks as they went down
the halls.

They were not the first gay couple to walk through West Valley High School,
but maybe the most striking. For starters, nobody had pegged either Jesse
or Rainn as being gay. Shy maybe, but not the typical guys that fit into
their stereotypical views. Maybe, it was because neither one of them are
flamboyant or feminine. Or, maybe because neither of them followed a group
of girls. Not that there was ever anything wrong with any of that, but if
they had, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them both holding hands on this
Monday morning.

Instead, the lone wolf hottie and the green-eyed artistic genius gave
everyone something to stare at and talk about for the whole week. Girls
were heartbroken that someone had finally gotten Jesse's attention. Rainn,
too, was also sighed over. Many girls were hoping to snag him, his gorgeous
eyes, and his artistic talent for themselves. Even the teachers were giving
them both some sidelong glances. But, to them, it didn't matter. To Rainn
and Jesse, they were background noise, old wallpaper, unadorned scenery
that went unnoticed.

Jesse walked Rainn to the door of his first class, and said he'd be back to
walk him to his next class.

"I don't want to be overly protective or... clingy, but... I want to see
you again and make sure you're not bullied when I'm not around..." Jesse
said. "Especially if you-know-who or his friends are around..."

"It's okay. I like this protective side of you. It's how we met..." Rainn
replied, a bit red. "I'm sure I'll be fine, but... yeah, I'd like to walk
with you after class..."

Rainn leaned in on tiptoes and gave Jesse a kiss on the lips. It was just a
small peck, but Jesse was red and Rainn smiled. He turned to leave and
waved bye to Jesse. Lost in a daze, Jesse waved back and slowly made his
way to the library. He had some papers to write today and lectures to
listen to, but it was going to be a slow and boring time without Rainn. Oh
well... Jesse only had to work for the next hour before classes
changed. That brightened his thoughts as he signed in by the librarian's
desk.

Rainn, on the other hand, was already used to daydreaming in class. He was
actually good at learning history, and could multitask between working on
his sketches and listening to the video lecture on Civil War
battles. Mr. Reeves was more of a "hands-off" kind of teacher, preferring
to show documentaries and movies rather than notes and quizzes. That suited
Rainn just fine, especially in the morning when he usually was still
shaking off some sleep. Today, however, Rainn was wide awake, if not lost
in a daze. All he could think about that morning was Jesse. His smile and
hazel eyes, overshadowed all the talk and noise of everything around him.

Class finished and he packed up everything, ready to head to English. As
promised, Jesse was waiting right outside the door as Rainn left. He smiled
and reached for Rainn's hand as they walked down the hall.

It was going to be a great day, Rainn could tell. For starters, nobody was
giving them any grief about their new relationship, and if they were, Rainn
didn't care. More importantly, he had not seen or heard about Mark, and
people were saying that he was at home, too sick to come to school.

*He's sick alright,* Rainn thought. *Sick in the head! I'm glad Jesse maced
the hell out of him!*

The fleeting moments that they spent together in the halls were
unmercifully short compared to the centuries that class took up. Rainn was
brought back into reality when he walked into algebra. Mr. Sullivan had a
sobering effect on him and he remembered that he needed to focus so he
could stay in this class. Rainn diligently took notes and for the first
time in that class, and he raised his hand to answer one of the
questions. Rainn even got it right! There would be a quiz at the end of the
week, but Rainn knew that he would do fine. He reviewed the list and made
sure to take the study guide and look it over with Jesse.

Mr. Sullivan was even impressed with Rainn's new attitude and left him a
note on his desk when he handed out the study guide.

It read,

Rainn, Seems like you found yourself a good tutor. Good for you! Keep up
the hard work!!

It even had a smiley face. Rainn felt delighted, even if the gesture was
simple. It felt like a good-job sticker from elementary school, and Rainn
could have been mildly insulted, but he would take what he could get in
math. It only made him appreciate Mr. Sullivan more. He cared that Rainn
was improving, and that was all that mattered.

The bell rang for lunch, and Rainn made his way to the door. He didn't pack
a lunch and would take his chances seeing what the cafeteria had to
offer. Jesse was waiting for him and began leading him down the hall, away
from the crowds.

"Wait! I need to get something to eat from the cafeteria!" Rainn said to
him, smiling.

"No need to worry," he said, smiling in return. "I took care of lunch
today,"

He led Rainn to the courtyard between the main building and the library and
there they found a nice spot to sit and eat. Jesse took a large pack from
his bag that had several food containers.

*Yay! He cooked for me! I'm loving EVERYTHING today! What did he make??*
Rainn wondered.

Jesse smiled and handed him a turkey club sandwich, poured him a small bowl
of soup from a thermos, and they shared some bottled iced tea and concord
grapes. The sandwich was especially delicious. The bread was from the diner
where Rainn worked, but the rest was all Jesse. He put bacon, sprouts and
avocado in it, and it had a wasabi mayonnaise that was really tasty. The
soup was a creamy roasted squash, and the grapes were ripe and juicy. Rainn
could not remember ever having a lunch at school that was as good.

"Everything was good?" Jesse asked, curious to see if Rainn liked it.

"Oh my god, yes! That was amazing!" Rainn said. "You didn't have to go
through all that trouble, though..."

"No, it's fine! I like to cook and it's nice to have someone to share it
with..." he said, a touch pink. "Do you... have any requests for tomorrow's
lunch?" Jesse said.

"Oooh! Yeah! Um... do you think you could make... sushi??" Rainn asked
excitedly.

"Hmm... I think so. I can't get seafood grade sashimi, but there's snow
crab. I could make some California rolls..." Jesse said.

"Yay! Those are my favorite!!" Rainn leaned over and kissed him, but on the
cheek this time. Jesse still blushed, but he leaned over and gave Rainn a
kiss on the cheek in return.

They talked about food and what Rainn liked and didn't like. Rainn loved
everything Japanese because of manga, and almost anything else. Rainn
wasn't too picky, but he didn't care for sauerkraut, clams, oysters,
mussels, blue cheese, and surprisingly, jello. Jesse smiled and wrote these
down to make sure he never made those for lunch. Jesse on the other hand,
liked a little of everything and was adventurous in trying new things.

"Even sauerkraut?" Rainn asked, a little disgusted.

"Yeah, it's alright in a Rueben sandwich. It might be a little strong by
itself, though," Jesse said.

"Ugh, it's so weird and slimy, sour and... rank!" Rainn replied.

Jesse laughed. "Then you would definitely hate caviar."

"Fish eggs!? Yuck!" Rainn said in disgust.

Jesse laughed. Rainn was too cute sometimes...

While Jesse was distracted in conversation, Rainn moved closer and sat
right alongside him. He leaned his head against his shoulder and felt Jesse
lean closer, too. Rainn reached his arm around Jesse's waist and he felt
Jesse put an arm around his shoulder.

"I feel like I... won the lottery or something," Rainn said.

"Huh?" Jesse asked.

"I mean meeting you. I feel so lucky that... I... we...." Rainn said.

"Me, too," Jesse finished. "I found one of the hottest, most talented guys
in school. Sometimes I wonder if I'm going to wake up and..." Jesse said.

"Realize it was all a dream? Yeah, sometimes I think that, too," Rainn
said.

"...I wonder, sometimes... if you're really there, you know?... if you're
real..." Jesse said.

"Yeah, I'm real!" he said, giving Jesse a kiss, soft and sweet. A soft and
sweet kiss, on the lips this time. "How's that for real?" Rainn said.

"I'm burning up, you must be real," Jesse said, reddening. "You're going to
give me a fever..."

Rainn laughed and hugged Jesse close.

"It's almost time for study hall... Are you coming to the library today?"
Jesse asked, hoping so.

"Yeah... I have to redraw my entry to the art competition," Rainn said,
sounding down. He almost forgot it was a ruined mess in a landfill
somewhere.

"Oh... yeah..." Jesse said, remembering. "I'm sure you can make the new one
even better..." He spoke kindly and compassionately.

"Well, I do have new inspiration...." Rainn said with a half smile.

The bell rang and they picked up everything from lunch and headed to the
library hand in hand, stealing glances at one another.  Rainn and Jesse
were about to get a pleasant surprise when they entered.


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