Prince Chance

by Xavier Neal

  After losing three rounds in a row of balls and buckets to Syd, I sigh, “Fuck it, I’m done.”

  She snickers and tucks the basketball underneath her arm. “Seriously?”

  “You win, babe.”

  “You’re such a pussy,” Apollo grunts. “And we’re not talking the good pussy comparison. The one where I’m saying how strong and filled with vigor you are. We’re talking about the one most people say when they mean what a fucking wimp you are.”

  “Thank you for that clarification, bro.”

  He cockily winks.

  Cheeky asshole.

  “Let me show you how it’s done,” he proclaims, stretching his hands out in front of him.

  I tilt my head at Syd. “Destroy him.” She starts laughing and before I can join her a punch lands on my bicep. “Ow!”

  “Talk shit, get hit,” Apollo chuckles. He leans around to say, “Lotuses first.”

  The nickname threatens to have me growl again.

  Syd bows her head in gratitude at the offer, turns, and sinks a shot into the farthest bucket.

  Look, I can see what you’re thinking. Balls and buckets. Dumb game. Like poor people’s basketball. But it’s really more than that. I swear! Yeah, you gotta get the balls in the big wicker baskets; however, they can’t tip over. They have to stay upright. And trust me, when you’re throwing a basketball from this far the probability you’re gonna knock that shit over is high. Ya know, unless you’re Syd, the Sports Goddess.

  Once my girlfriend retrieves her ball, Apollo tries for the same distance and fails. He brushes off the lack of success and retreats with the same amount of confidence. She makes another flawless shot that he immediately tries to duplicate, only to miss a second time. I hide my chuckles for three more attempts before his frustrations become too loud to ignore.

  “How the fuck are you that good at this game?!”

  “Not just this game, Golden Star. All sports. Like every single fucking one we’ve ever played together.”

  Apollo gives me a sarcastic stare.

  “No bullshit. We went to the batting cages last week. I finally thought maybe I had found something she wasn’t good at since she kept flinching each time it spat out a ball.”

  “It comes at you so fast!”

  I ignore her interjection. “Turns out I was wrong. The first time she swung the ball hit the back wall.”

  “A gift from The Universe,” Apollo huffs. “A momentary passage of unexpected good fortune.”

  You might call it luck. We don’t believe in that.

  “Oh yeah? After that, almost every ball she hit made it that same distance. We played for two more hours and not once did I knock a ball nearly that far.”

  “No way in Hades is that true.”

  “Every. Word. She even beats me in video game sports. Tore my ass up at Wii bowling! Only conclusion I can gather is that she’s the reincarnation of a sports Goddess.”

  Syd snickers and shakes her head. “There was no such thing as a sports Goddess.”

  “You could be the daughter of Hermes,” Apollo counters. “He was the God of athletes and tricks, which would explain how you trick everyone into believing you’ve never played these games before.”

  “But I really haven’t!”

  My brother and I hum our disbelief, which receives an offended scoff. We laugh and she quickly joins us. Apollo challenges her to a round of ring toss that she excitedly takes him up on. I decide to venture off back towards camp for a bit, ready to relax my legs, and drink in the late evening light.

  Close to the area where I set up our things, I find my parents sitting around a fire they’ve started, laughing and sharing a loving embrace. I prepare to walk to my tent wanting them to have their private moment when my dad waves me over.

  Dropping down onto a towel covered rock, I grin widely. “Feeling the power of Mother?”

  My mom nods before resting her head against Dad’s arm.

  “How about you?” Dad questions with a crooked smirk. “I imagine you’re feeling more than just a connection to a higher power.”

  The reference to Syd expands my smile.

  “She’s quite a catch,” Mom compliments. “Her energy is beautiful, and she’s handling all this with such grace. I’m impressed.”

  “And our son is in love,” Dad swiftly adds. A fatherly look crosses his expression as he states, “You should marry that girl.”

  His suggestion receives a sneer and two hands in the air. “Whoa. Whoa. Love is one thing, Dad. Not sure marriage is for me.”

  Mom’s head bounces back up. “And why the Hades not? What’s wrong with marriage? Your Dad and I are married or have you forgotten?”

  The intended joke is overlooked to deal with the questions on hand. “But you’re not monogamous, so does it really count?”

  “Of course it counts!” Dad almost roars. “Why the Hades would it not?!”

  “Because technically-”

  “No. No.” Mom wags a finger at me. “We don’t do technicalities in this family. We never have. We never will. Technicalities, like the one you about to attempt, are ways the social norms ostracize those that don’t fit into it or simply desire a different path. Marriage, Little Star, is a bonding of souls; however, it is up to those involved. It’s a merging of lives and paths and spirits. The structure in which it is set is only up to those in it.”

  “We understand not every marriage is like ours, Little Star,” Dad continues. “When teaching you about the other side of monogamy it wasn’t to shy you away from it, it was so you realized you didn’t have to conform to anything that felt wrong to you. It was so you knew there were many different waves of life to ride, and that you could and would find acceptance. Your Mom and I don’t swing because we’re afraid of monogamy or believe that it doesn’t work.”

  “Then why?” My curiosity peeks. “Why share yourselves with others in marriage?”

  Dad nonchalantly replies, “Because we love each other more than ourselves.”

  Perplexity paints itself on my face.

  Oh, look. You’re confused as fuck, too.

  “Your mom’s happiness is my main responsibility as her husband. One of the vows I took was to serve her needs, mentally, spiritually, and physically. In short, son, I love your mother so much that her joy is my life’s work. Whether that means she occasionally enjoys the physical presence of another man or whether she wants us spending weekend after weekend at meditation retreats, that’s what I’m going to do. Her happiness feeds mine and in return my happiness feeds hers. It’s a system.”

  “No two relationships have the same system, Little Star. Your Dad and I swing to cleanse the pallet. Each time we engage in the activity, our relationship strengthens a bit. We appreciate things that maybe we were starting to take for granted in and out of the bedroom. Swinging keeps us in the force field of gratitude. We’re more grateful for each other after we’ve switched partners for a bit. We’re more tentative to one another’s needs. We’re more in tuned to our marriage and our relationship.”

  “But like your mom said, no two relationships have the same system.”

  His reiteration shifts me in my seat.

  “Whatever your system is, son, embrace it.” He squeezes his hand into a fist. “Own it. Nurture its vitality because it is what keeps your souls connected. Maybe you don’t see marriage in your future. That we respect. But snubbing your nose at it simply because you have preconceived notions or misunderstandings about the institution itself is unwise.”

  “We have always taught you boys to follow your own stars,” Mom warmly reminds. “We didn’t just mean in work or hobbies. We meant in everything, including love.”

  Their words swarm around me, skimming the surface at first, and burrowing underneath second.

  Our love isn’t the same as anyone else’s, huh? Everyone is entitled to connect to another being on this level as it fits to them. That’s the point I missed growing up. It wasn’t that society as a whole was wron
g. It was the idea that everyone had to be the same that my parents wanted me to stay away from. Well, Syd and I definitely have our own nexus established by fate and blessed by the heavens. I can’t imagine a future without her in it. I should’ve said that to her in the car when she gave me these beads. I need to tell her that.

  All of a sudden, large stomps proceed the ended conversation.

  “Daughter of Hermes!” Apollo shouts and throws his hands in the air. “Has to be!”

  Dad and Mom chuckle as Syd sheepishly peers around him. “I beat him at Ring Toss.”

  My big brother glances over his shoulder. “And?”

  “And the Milk Bottle game.”

  “And?”

  She scrunches her nose. “And Cornhole.”

  “No one ever wins at Cornhole,” Dad brushes off.

  “She did!” Apollo huffs. “Six times in a row.”

  Incredulous stares fall onto Syd, and her cheeks begin to brightly burn.

  I smirk wildly and stretch my arms out for her. “Come here, babe.”

  She scoots around my agitated brother and falls into my lap. Her arms instantly wrap around my neck while mine migrate around her waist. The reestablished connection immediately pulls matching sighs from the two of us. She nestles her face near the crook of my neck, and my eyes fall shut at the warm breaths tickling my skin.

  We fit together. Every. Time.

  Apollo volunteers to start grilling dinner, and my parents break out the music. By the crackling of the fire we listen to my brother’s poetry, sing, eat, and drink in a constant rotation. Night falls and the stars radiate with much more than light.

  After we finish crooning along to “Let’s Stay Together”, Dad puts down his guitar and diverts his attention to the woman still curled against me. “Your turn, Syd. What do you do for a living?”

  Her bashful nature returns. “Nothing nearly as important as a real estate agent or a museum curator.”

  Dad takes joy in selling people their first homes while Mom finds joy in preserving history. No. Apollo didn’t follow their footsteps any more than I did. Not even sure what he’s up to these days. He’s been oddly distant lately.

  “Every job has importance is the great river of life,” Mom reassures. “Each creature has its place and purpose. Never be ashamed of yours.”

  Syd offers them a smile. “I teach yoga and tantric sex techniques.”

  Apollo wipes away the spiked punch from the corner of his lip. “You sure you were meant for Little Star and not me?”

  My mouth isn’t even presented with the opportunity to move.

  “Absolutely. As sure as the sun rises and sets.”

  Hearing the declaration spoken with such certitude awakens every cell in my body. Love and adoration crash into hunger and primal urges that are only amplified by the energy pouring from Mother Nature.

  I nudge Syd’s body off of mine and state, “Let’s walk.”

  Her eyes flare in anticipation.

  My parents offer us a silent wave while Apollo smugly smirks as if this was his doing. As if getting us away was his gift. His way of approving of our union.

  The two of us wander off to the left towards the area of the lake. We make it far enough away from my family not to be seen but not necessarily unheard. Too wound up to continue trekking around the trees, I abruptly stop us, trapping Syd’s body to mine.

  I open my mouth to speak when the sound of moaning steals our attention.

  To our right is a man leaned against a tree with another man’s mouth wrapped around his dick. Both are fully engrossed in one another and unaware of our on looking. The standing man grips the kneeling man’s hair and tugs him further on a harsh grunt.

  Syd squirms in my arms yet doesn’t turn away. My hand slips down between her legs, curious if the sexual sight is adding to her appetite. The tip of my finger is instantly wet when it grazes the outside of her lower lips.

  My lips brush against her ear. “You like to watch?” She starts to drop her head in shame when my hand rushes to stop it. “Own your kinks, babe. No judgments here.”

  She turns her head, looks up at me, and nods.

  “You like to be watched?”

  Even in the dim light of the moon I can see her eyes glowing in excitement.

  A small growl escapes before I bend her forward, hands bracing on the tree trunk. With no barriers of clothes or digging for condoms standing between us, I nudge her stance wide, and slide through the scorching heat.

  You can relax. I’m clean. Get tested every month as policy at The Castle, remember? Plus, Syd’s clean, too. Not just because she told me, though I’d take her word on it, but she had a doctor’s appointment two weeks ago to get another birth control shot. She had them test her then. Appreciate the concern though.

  The gasp grabbed from Syd is almost as intoxicating as being completely bare. Her pussy swells during each stroke, sucking me to the hilt, praising my cock for the pleasure it’s providing. My hands roughly grip her hips, and I thrust into her harder, desperate to have my dick drenched from base to tip. Her entire frame shakes from the velocity of my brutal pounding. Tiny squeaks of gratitude are given every time the tip of my cock brushes her g-spot. With every bounce forward the gleam of the moon erotically highlights her perfect figure. Seeing her forcefully be taken and feeling her thrill of it has me nearing the end long before it should be an option.

  Groans that are not my own cause my head to turn and spot the men we were watching moments ago, now watching us. They have their hands curled around one another’s cocks and are frantically stroking.

  I wind Syd’s hair around my hand and snap her head their direction.

  Upon first glance, her pussy pulsates, wetness weeping free like it’s a pair of eyes that have just laid themselves on the eyes of a God or Goddess. I hiss through the orgasm barely able to handle the way it’s laving my dick.

  Suddenly, Syd’s actions turn tempestuous, and I savagely impale her harder. Every time she bows back the men groan louder, which causes her pussy to constrict more. In barbaric succession, I yank on her hair and viciously thrust, no longer toying with the sweet spot inside, but engraving my name on it. I dive deeper and deeper until I swear they can hear her screaming my name in The Cosmos. Together, we come on a loud, bone breaking moan. Both of my arms wrap tightly around her while hers tangle to trap mine. Cum rapidly rushes out of my system and collides against hers, forging a new bond in the light of the moon, the ultimate presence of Mother Nature.

  Syd’s shape shakes as it struggles to steal a breath, which is when I calmly whisper in her ear, “You are my yin, babe.”

  Her body effortlessly sags against mine. “You are my yang.”

  And together, we are at peace.

  12

  Sydney

  “Gam Gam!” I scold from the patio chair I’m sitting in. “You cannot ask him that!”

  “Oh, he can have you frolicking in the forest as bare as you were the day you came into this world, but I can’t ask him does he get embarrassed when it gets cold outside?”

  “Gam Gam!”

  Chance simply continues to chuckle along with Grandad.

  “Enough with the detailed questions on that subject,” Grandmother sighs, lifting her cup of tea. “Let’s talk about when you’re going to leave your clothes on for a living.”

  “You know, hang up the string,” Grandad teases.

  They are so bad! We came over to have what I thought was going to be a laid back cup of tea with both sets of my grandparents before dinner with my mom and sisters, yet they’ve spent the last hour poking and prodding about the festival we went to this past weekend.

  Chance’s blindingly bright smile remains. “Whenever the winds of change instruct me to.”

  “I can respect that,” Grandfather agrees despite my Grandmother’s obvious opposing disposition.

  “What if you never feel the winds?” She challenges. “How will you provide for your family in the future? How will you provid
e a stable living for Chīsana ashi?”

  “Have we forgotten I can provide for myself?”

  Gam Gam ignores my interruption to back up Grandmother. “How will you explain to your son or daughter what Daddy does for a living?”

  “Why are you both suddenly attacking Chance?” Grandad defends. “He’s been nothing but an amazing young man to all of us and our granddaughter. He hasn’t done anything to warrant the pitch forking you two are providing.”

  Grandfather is swift in his stance. “So he doesn’t work in a fancy office or make millions of dollars, but we all know and agree upon that not being important as long as you’re happy and can take care of those you love.”

  “Which I can and do,” Chance promptly promises. “Whenever Syd lets me, I’m right there to give her everything and anything. Mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.”

  No lie. He went with me to the doctor between practice at work. Paid the copay. Bought us takeout that night after my K-Pop class, which he now pays for. When they cut my hours at the studio, I knew sacrifices were going to have to be made, but I was expecting it would just be a bit of my independence. Chance paid for my lights to come back on and told me to make sure I kept my bills paid while he would handle our fun. I figured he was talking just about dates until Rae called to yell at me for being late for a class he had already paid for. You know, I don’t love someone showering me with money, but it’s nice to have a shoulder to lean on. And it’s super special to get to keep as well as have a reason to wear the shoes clogging up both our wardrobes now.

  Our fingers link together on top of the table. My thumb gives his hand a sweet stroke at the same time I announce, “On that note, we need to get going.”

  “See, what you did Bernice. Scared them away,” Grandad playfully chastises.

  “Hush your mouth,” she snips back.

  “No one scared anyone,” I quickly reassure. “We’re having dinner with Mom and the twins.”