Dreamspinner Press Years One & Two Greatest Hits

by J. M. Colail

  Without any hesitation, John grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and stated, “Come on. I’ll take you.” David didn’t argue and let John lead him through the store to the car.

  “Is your friend okay? It looks like he had some bad news,” an elderly customer asked. Jamie’s stomach lurched as he watched them go.

  THE DRIVE to the clinic was done in silence.

  When John finally switched off the ignition in the car park, he just sat and stared at the dense graffiti on the opposite wall. The jarring colors seemed to make more sense than the blur of scenarios and emotions vying for attention in his mind.

  He couldn’t move. The terror that enveloped him was broken only when a gentle hand covered his own, still gripping the steering wheel. “It’s okay, John,” David said softly. “I can go in.”

  Not sure if it was the touch or calm voice, maybe a combination of both, John was able to drop his eyes and take a deep breath. He smiled, shook his head, and reaffirmed his stance of the night before. “Together, Dave. We’ll be all right together.” He pulled out the keys, unclipped his seat belt with more bravado than he actually felt, and said, “Let’s get this done.”

  The waiting room was as busy as it had been several days earlier, but instead of having Barbara there to organize his appointment David walked up to the receptionist, and gave his name and that of the doctor. He explained quietly why he was there and then sat in the same plastic chair as his last visit… only this time John was beside him.

  Dr. Coulson eyed the two men with vague curiosity when they entered his room. He pulled out the required file and keyed the code into the computer. No one spoke while he scrolled through a few screens to remind himself why they were there. Eventually he stood up, opened a filing cabinet drawer, pulled out a few pamphlets and said to both of them—still unsure exactly who the patient was but guessing it was David—“It’s good you came down today. That way we can get treatment underway immediately.”

  David nodded and resisted the urge to look at John, whose chair was placed beside but slightly behind his.

  “Now first of all, here is some information on your condition and how we can treat it.” He handed David a glossy piece of paper with the deep red heading “What Is Anemia?” The doctor continued speaking about the causes of anemia while he pulled a few more sheets out of the drawer, not noticing the look of utter confusion on David’s face, who was trying to take in what was written on the sheet without actually understanding what was going on. John put his hand on David’s shoulder and said with barely concealed anger. “Stop. What are you saying? What exactly are you telling us?”

  The hand in the filing cabinet paused and Dr. Coulson turned and gave John an irritated glare. “I am trying to discuss your friend’s treatment.”

  David could feel John start to rise from his seat; he held his hand out, but spoke directly to the doctor. “My blood test results. They wouldn’t give them to me on the phone.”

  Coulson frowned at the question and returned to the computer screen. “According to your file you are anemic and have a mild parasitic infestation; both of which we’ll treat. HIV negative, Hepatitis B and C both negative.”

  Negative. John’s eyes drifted from the doctor to David, who was sitting staring as if he couldn’t quite comprehend what he’d just been told. He gently rubbed David’s back and tried to listen to what the doctor was saying, but all he could do was grin and keep his hand moving.

  LUNCHTIME HAD come and gone and Jamie hadn’t closed the store to go and buy the usual sandwiches. It felt wrong without David there to share. Instead he hovered over the kettle waiting for it to boil, more for something to do rather than actually needing a cup of tea. It had been a couple of hours since the others left for the clinic and thankfully Jamie had been kept busy, but the lull of early afternoon left him to think and worry.

  When the doorbell finally tinkled his head shot up and he quickly stepped into the store to see John and David walking toward him. Both were smiling. He knew straight away that David was okay, but rather than returning the smiles Jamie stood with his arms wrapped around himself. His voice was very small as he said, “I was so scared, Dave.”

  Without any hesitation David left John’s side and enveloped Jamie in a tight embrace. He whispered softly, “I’m know… but it’s all gonna be all right.” He gently stroked his hand over Jamie’s hair and added with a little smile, “I’ve been wormed and given my shots.”

  Jamie slipped his arms around David’s waist and let out a shaky laugh. “So I guess that means we can keep you.”

  John stood and watched David comfort his young friend and understood for the first time the effect all of this had had on Jamie. He’d known David for longer than John, helped Maggie bring him into the store and slowly won his trust. Become his friend. Hell, if Jamie hadn’t persisted I would have thrown David out that first morning, John realized and felt more than a little ashamed that he’d not once considered Jamie as part of this. John quietly left David and Jamie and went into the kitchen. The past few days hit him. He slumped against the wall, pinched the bridge of his nose, and let the tears fall silently.

  “LEAVE THEM ’til morning, Dave.” John smiled as he looked at the greasy cardboard containers, bowls, and chopsticks strewn about the coffee table. The debris of a celebration of sorts could be left for another day. He shook his head, amazed that he could even contemplate such a thing. Everything has a correct place and life must be routine and neatly labeled. Where did that John go, because he certainly doesn’t live here anymore? He looked up at David, who’d been standing near the armchair watching him, a slightly bemused look on his face. John chuckled. “Just lost in thought for a moment… thinking about the man I used to be and how he would have gotten up in the middle of the night to clean this away rather than let it sit.” He shrugged, embarrassed at the admission. David simply nodded, but his smile was warm and open.

  “Come on; it’s been a tough day.” John laughed, turned his back on the mess, and walked through to the bedroom.

  The entire time they were undressing John chatted about anything and everything; even when his head touched the pillow he was laughing about his burgeoning relationship with the woman at the local Chinese restaurant. He felt high as a kite and couldn’t seem to contain suddenly boundless energy.

  David lay beside him, smiling at his obvious joy, but when it looked like John was about to launch into another tale, David lifted his hand and gently placed it over John’s mouth. He could feel the curve of John’s lips under his palm as he was silenced. David slowly removed his hand and leaned forward to kiss the still-curled lips, breaking into a broad smile himself. The attempted kiss became a giggling embrace as they held each other, neither able to fully comprehend that it was now possible for them to have a full future together..

  As the laughter subsided, it was replaced by gentle touching; that same happy disbelief being expressed through fingers and lips.

  John’s mouth moved over David’s skin, not quite kissing, more like sampling and exploring. There was nothing of his usual sense of urgency because he knew now that he had time to take it slow. When his tongue took a languid swipe at an already peaked nipple, he glanced up to see David’s reaction. John paused briefly at the sight of David watching him through slitted eyes. As their gaze met, John felt David’s fingers rest lightly on his head before threading through his hair. John smiled a little wickedly and let the tip of his tongue trail slowly down, stopping now and then to plant an open-mouthed kiss on random selections of skin.

  David shifted his hips under John’s touch, suddenly far too aware of his very obvious erection. John eased back and rested on his elbow. He gently stopped the hand that reached for the edge of the sheet with a quiet “Let me look at you, David, please?”

  David hesitated, but released the material to fall back to the mattress, leaving him exposed in the warm light of the bedside lamp. At that moment, John’s heart felt too big for his chest and he lifted David’
s hand briefly to his lips before placing it back on the sheet.

  Leaning forward, John brushed his lips over a still prominent hipbone and spread his fingers through the dark hair beside it. Close but not yet ready to touch, John looked up and said with a slight flush of color, “You know, I’ve never actually paid any attention to another man’s… um, penis, before.”

  David didn’t answer, but raised his eyebrows and chuckled when John added, “I know my own well enough, but it never seemed important to, ah… get to know anyone else’s.”

  Despite his heart hammering in his chest, David gave a little shrug and reached down to slowly edge John’s hand closer.

  John gently, almost tentatively, ran the flat of his fingers along the silky skin of David’s shaft, paying close attention to the ripples and veins. A bead of pre-come grew and trickled down near John’s fingers. He watched its path before curling the tip of his tongue to taste the fluid, taste David. John looked up to see David watching him intently, a slightly confused expression on his face. The act had taken on a whole different meaning for David and he found it difficult to understand the pleasure John was taking from this. John smiled, a little unsure, and asked, “You okay with this? I need you to tell me, Dave.”

  David gave a small nod and watched John crawl between his legs to settle in the cradle of his thighs. He wasn’t ready for the sensation of John’s lips closing over the head of his cock and let out an involuntary gasp. Is this what it feels like to them, with me on my knees on the concrete? The thought passed through his mind unbidden and he almost made John stop; it was wrong to let him do this, wrong for it to feel so good. But when he looked down at the fair head bobbing slowly, not forced or retching, he allowed himself to stop thinking.

  John’s mouth gradually took more of him in and began to increase the pace. He had no idea if what he was doing was right, but tried to mimic what he liked. It was a little more difficult than he thought it would be fighting his own gag reflex and he wished he could use his tongue more against the press of David’s cock.

  Stop trying so hard, he told himself and eased back to enjoy the experience.

  John’s fingers wrapped around the base of David’s cock and began a careful squeeze and release, matching the rhythm of his mouth. He could feel David moving with him and heard his soft grunting breaths. John’s own cock began pulsing at the sound and he pushed his hips hard against the bed, trying to get some friction. His legs were over the edge of the bed and the position was awkward, but he didn’t care. This wasn’t about him.

  David’s hand tensed in John’s hair; his fingers tightened and pulled hard. “Close, John,” he groaned and tried again to pull John off, afraid to come in his mouth. Reassuring fingers stroked along his hip and belly and when David looked down he met John’s eyes. It was all he saw before the force of his orgasm closed his eyes.

  John stilled both hand and lips while he concentrated on swallowing until he felt the spasms ease to a gentle shudder. With a last gentle lick, he released the softening cock and rested his face against David’s thigh. Breathing in the scent of sweat and come, he reached down and gripped his own aching cock. It only took a couple of rapid twisting strokes before he came.

  Gradually, John became aware of David’s fingers moving through his hair in slow caresses. He looked up and, not knowing what to say, simply straightened enough to rest his cheek against David’s belly. He could feel the strong beat of David’s pulse through the warm skin and hear the quiet gurgles. John smiled sleepily at how right this all seemed and kissed him lightly before letting himself drift.

  Chapter 20

  WAKING WAS easier than it had been; there was no resentment of the morning at giving up the refuge of sleep. David leaned back into the steady rise and fall of John’s chest against his back and the warm breath that barely ruffled his hair. The sun was already up and David realized they’d both slept in. You fell asleep without setting the alarm. He smiled. What am I doing to you, John?

  David closed his eyes and his hand drifted slowly back until it rested lightly on John’s hip. He smiled when John murmured a few unintelligible words in his sleep. The skin was smooth under his palm as he carefully explored the contours of John’s hip bone. Delicate changes in temperature and texture all registered behind David’s eyelids as his fingers continued their journey down John’s thigh. He could feel the press of John against his buttocks and squeezed his eyes tighter, trying to etch every touch, smell, and sound in his memory. He needed this to last.

  Soft lips brushed over the back of his neck before the low rumble of John’s voice. “Morning, Dave.”

  “Hey,” David answered quietly and withdrew his hand, embarrassed that he’d been caught touching.

  “You don’t have to stop.” John grinned against his neck.

  “Yes, I do.” David sighed. “I think we’ve slept in.”

  John groaned, eased away from David, and craned his head to look back over his shoulder. “Shite. I can’t remember the last time I slept through my alarm.”

  “I think you were too exhausted to set it,” David mumbled with a small smile.

  “Mmmm… oh yeah, I remember.” John chuckled. “You know, maybe we should just leave the store closed today and spend the whole day right here?”

  Although David smiled at John’s suggestion, the intimacy of it made him hesitate. He appreciated how strange it was to feel this after all they’d been through, but a whole day with nothing to distract John from him seemed frightening, too revealing. “Maybe not, John,” he said in a very small voice. “Or you’ll end up out there in my home rather than me sharing yours.”

  The comment, or maybe the tone of voice, made John stop. He rested his forehead against the nape of David’s neck, wanting to tell him this was his home too, but he knew it wasn’t true. The bottom drawer remained empty despite the state of the once-white paper bag.

  He sighed, gently rubbed his hand over David’s shoulder, and said, “Yeah, time to get up.” David felt the air cool against his back and the mattress shift as John got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

  Breakfast had already developed into a comfortable routine. David organized the coffee and set the table while John fussed around the frying pan, scrambling eggs and adding an assortment of unnecessary condiments. Full plates and steaming mugs were placed on the table and they settled to enjoy their food and quiet conversation.

  John watched David get up to pour another coffee and couldn’t help but wonder what his life was like before. How long had it been since he shared a simple breakfast with his son? When David handed him his mug and sat down, John asked cautiously, “Did you do this with Adam?”

  David glanced briefly at John and then back to his plate. “Adam hates… hated eggs. He used to always try to convince me that he was allergic to them.”

  “Was he?” John said, hoping David would continue.

  David huffed a small laugh and looked up. “Nah, but it was a good excuse to get me to make French toast.”

  “But doesn’t that have eggs in it?” John frowned.

  “Yes,” David replied with a broad grin.

  John laughed and shook his head. “You sound like a good dad.”

  David stopped cutting his toast and leaned back in his seat with a sigh. “I miss him.”

  John was at a loss what to say. He didn’t know David’s history, why he was no longer part of his son’s life. He nodded sadly and suggested, “After yesterday I think you need to see him, Dave. You still have time to get the bus, take the whole day off if you want… even if that just means catching up on your reading.”

  David pushed his plate a little further onto the table and rubbed his thumb over a coffee mark on the lip of his mug. John patiently piled another mouthful of egg onto his fork while he waited. It actually took three forkfuls before David answered with a quiet, “Thanks, John. I better get going then.”

  DAVID STEPPED into the bus and pulled a couple of balled-up notes from his pocket. It took h
im a while to straighten and sort them, no different from every bus trip, but this time the driver gave him an irritated look and told him to hurry it up rather than looking past him until he could snatch the offered money, avoiding contact and conversation. David took his change, mumbled “thank you”, and sat in a seat near the back of the bus.

  He stared absently out the window and watched the world go by like he usually did, but this time it felt very different. He was clean, he’d eaten a real breakfast with someone he loved, and the money… well, he was almost proud of the work he’d done for the money.

  When the bus pulled up at the stop, David stepped off. He still kept his head down and eyes on his feet while the other passengers moved away, but David took up his position in the corner of the bus shelter feeling more positive than he had in a long while. Although the morning sun warmed his legs he kept himself in the shadow where he could see out without being easily noticed.

  David watched the usual parade of teenagers, some moving quickly from family wagons lest they be seen by their friends while others parked barely roadworthy but much-loved older-model cars covered in crude stickers and rust-retardant paint splotches.

  A couple of kids skulked into the shelter and sat on the bench. They shot David a look, but quickly decided he was no threat to their plan to ditch school. David listened to their excited chatter and smiled at the possibilities of youth and a whole illicit day.

  “Hey, Robinson, come here,” the taller of the two boys called out when he noticed a blue car pull up. David’s heart started to pound and it suddenly became difficult to breathe. He didn’t dare look up when he heard the shouted reply of “What?” He tried to make himself as small as he could in the shadow of the corner.