“You… look great.” Evan said awkwardly, blushing and averting his eyes from the appraising look Dakota leveled in his direction. Dakota rumbled a deep laugh, and Evan felt a bit more at ease with his friend.
“You look great as well. Way to put the rest of our little town to shame.” Dakota smiled, giving Evan a gentle nudge. Evan reddened once more, brushing his shaggy hair behind his ear. “How about we go get some drinks? My flight back isn’t until tomorrow.” Dakota smiled, and Evan returned the expression with ease.
“We’re probably on the same flight! Drinks would be great. Drinking’s forbidden on campus, so--” Evan started, cut off by a snort of amusement from the other man.
“And you actually followed that rule? What a square.” Dakota teased, snagging Evan by the wrist and pulling him along. Evan squawked, but stumbled along behind the more muscular man, allowing himself to be tugged.
“You were never such a rule breaker yourself, D.” Evan said snidely, receiving a derisive snort in turn. Dakota paused, allowing Evan to fall into step beside him.
“I think it’s pretty obvious that I am not quite the man I used to be.” Dakota smiled, tugging his shirt up and exposing his abs. The pudge that the handsome young man used to carry on his frame was seemingly obliterated, and Evan had to swallow a large lump in his throat as Dakota winked at him before lowering his shirt once more. “I wish things were always this easy.” He said to himself, sounding almost melancholy. Before Evan could speak, the dark haired man was darting ahead, in the direction that Evan was vaguely aware of leading towards a bar. “First round’s on you, E!” He called back, and Evan sputtered, scrambling to jog after him. He had no real desire to argue with his friend, more concerned with smothering the awkward feelings rumbling in his gut. He certainly couldn’t deny the attraction blossoming upon laying eyes upon his friend after two years. As far has he knew, however, Dakota had always been attracted to women.
So had he, before his college years.
“How much have things changed back home?” Evan asked carefully, and Dakota rumbled a laugh, pausing to wait for the smaller man to catch up.
“Oh, you know, the same old thing. Strict parents, strict curfew. Got kicked out of my parents’ house for screwing around with the wrong guy. He’s been stalking me, since.” Dakota drawled, sounding hesitant about relaying the latter half of his statement. Evan stared at him for a long moment, mouth hanging agape as he tried to process what his friend had told him.
“Screwing around…” He started hesitantly, and Dakota paused mid-stride, turning to face him with a nervous smile.
“Yeah. For my folks it wasn’t so much that it was another guy, it was the fact that he… was bad news.” Dakota muttered, giving slight pause as he considered Evan. “I hope this doesn’t change your opinion of me.” He added, tapping his fingertips together. Evan chuckled warmly, stepping closer and resting a hand on Dakota’s arm.
“Believe me. It’s okay. I’ve discovered a few things about myself, as well.” He smiled. The larger man quirked a brow, catching Evan’s gaze. Much to Evan’s surprise, Dakota reddened slightly, resting his hand atop Evan’s and giving it a squeeze. The two stood in silence for a moment, and Evan wondered if similar thoughts to his own were running through the other man’s head. Dakota drew his hand away, averting his eyes and inhaling shakily.
“Things won’t be so easy once we’re home again. I’m not… such a great guy.” Dakota muttered, stepping away from other man’s touch and clenching his hands uncertainly.
“Of course you’re great. You’re my best friend.” Evan sputtered unhappily. Dakota breathed a sigh, glancing over his shoulder. Evan gave slight pause upon meeting his old friend’s gaze and drew his lip between his teeth. “How about those drinks, anyway? I’m buying the first round, like you said!” Evan said, trying to restore some sense of normalcy to the situation. Dakota looked uncertain, but nodded obligingly. Evan fell into step beside his old friend, offering a timid smile. Without a word, Dakota reached out, lacing their fingers together and continuing down the path towards the bar. Evan smiled to himself, enjoying the feeling of Dakota’s strong hand locked with his own. He wasn’t sure just how Dakota thought things would change once they got home, but he hoped they were in a way similar to what he had in mind.
***
The next morning passed in something of a blur, with the men boarding the flight home with what few belongings they had. They managed to find seats together, though Dakota seemed somewhat more guarded than he had the night before. Tension radiated from his body, and Evan was hesitant to try and make conversation with the other man.
Dakota was surprisingly the one to break the silence, facing Evan around an hour into the flight with a pensive expression. Evan fidgeted beneath the other man’s gaze, feeling more than a little exposed beneath his stare.
“Do you have a place to stay once you get home?” The broader man inquired abruptly, and Evan hesitated, shrugging uncertainly.
“I’m banking on the hope that my parents let me stay with them until I get on my feet.” He offered blandly, and Dakota rumbled a chuckle in response.
“You really think they’ll go for that?” Dakota drawled, draping an arm across the back of Evan’s seat. Evan cursed himself for the red that tinted his cheeks, shrugging once more and smiling self deprecatingly.
“I don’t really have any other options right now.” He muttered, rubbing his cheek in an attempt to soothe the heat in the skin there. Dakota watched him silently for a long moment, drawing his lower lip between his teeth and worrying it slightly. Evan tried not to stare at his friend’s mouth, and certainly tried not to think of the things he could do with it.
“You could stay with me.” Dakota offered softly, shifting his arm to wrap it fully around Evan’s shoulders. Evan’s eyes widened, and he considered his friend uncertainly. Dakota seemed hesitant to make the offer, and Evan knew the situation could prove more than a little awkward. He opened his mouth, snapping it shut after a moment and seeming to rethink his position. Awkward or not, it was an exceedingly kind offer for Dakota to make, and staying with his best friend sounded much more appealing than bunking with his parents. Truth be told, he suspected they had converted his old room into something that would further suit their needs. On the off chance they allowed him to stay, it would likely be on that couch his father refused to replace in spite of its odd odor. The situation would be made even worse if it somehow got out that he wasn’t… quite as straight as he thought he was, before leaving for college. His parents were notorious homophobes, much like the majority of his home town.
“It wouldn’t be a burden?” Evan muttered, wringing his hands together. Dakota rumbled a disarming laugh, reaching up to muss up Evan’s hair. Evan pouted slightly, resigning himself to messy hair for the moment.
“You are too precious, E.” Dakota murmured with a lopsided grin, receiving an indignant squeak in response.
“Quit teasing me, you ass.” Evan bit out, averting his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest.
“I’m not teasing. You are precious. You really think it would be burdensome to bunk with my best bud? Come on, man. Things haven’t changed that much in two years.” He drawled, looking far too pleased with himself when Evan met his gaze. “Come on. It’ll be fun.” He murmured, giving Evan a little squeeze.
“... If you’re certain. I wouldn’t want to come between you and any… personal life you may have.” Evan said hesitantly, and Dakota boomed a laugh that seemed to almost shake the walls of the plane. They received several furtive glances, and Evan sank down in his sink to avoid being seen.
“Believe me, you don’t have to worry about my personal life. That is… unless you really want to.” Dakota purred. Evan turned wide eyes towards him, and swallowed a lump in his throat as he took in the predatory look the larger man had fixed upon him.
“I...I…” Evan stammered out, cutting himself off as the voice of the pilot came over the loud-speaker.
“Buckle up, buttercup.” Dakota snickered, looking in his direction. “Or will I have to do it for you?” He teased, receiving a glare in response.
“You would enjoy that too much.” Evan said unthinkingly, immediately wishing he could swallow the words back down. He glanced to Dakota from the corner of his eye, feeling relieved upon seeing the easy smile the other man wore.
“Suppose you have a point…” Dakota muttered. He hesitated, suddenly looking uncertain of himself. Evan rested a hand on his arm, feeling just how tense his childhood friend was. He had no idea what had Dakota feeling so out of sorts, and as he opened his mouth to voice the thought, Dakota interrupted him. “I just hope things… are easier. Now that you’re back.” He sighed. Evan could see the clenching of the man’s jaw, and he glanced out the window at their side. Evan followed his gaze, feeling slightly queasy at how swiftly they seemed to be descending. However, he could easily spot the vaguely familiar airport that sat a few miles out from their hometown. He exhaled a sigh, drawing his hands into his lap and pressing the back of his head against the headrest. His eyes fluttered shut, and he took a moment to center himself. He could feel Dakota uncomfortably fidgeting in the seat beside him, but allowed the sensation to melt away, along with everything else. He only opened his eyes when plane stilled altogether, and people began to rise from their seats. He glanced to Dakota, who met his gaze with a curious quirk of his brow.
“I have a feeling things are going to be fine.” He smiled, reaching out to gingerly touch Dakota’s cheek. The larger man pressed into the touch, and they remained that way until the flight attendant cleared her throat, smiling awkwardly at the men. Evan reddened, having not realized that the entire plane had cleared out already. “Well. Let’s get going. Homeward bound, and all that.” Evan stammered out, unfastening his seatbelt and moving to shuffle out of his seat. He could sense Dakota following him as he moved to depart the plane, and once they were safely on the ground, Dakota fell into place beside him. He reached out to take Dakota by the hand, but the larger man deflected, glancing to him from the corner of his eye with an unreadable look. Evan tried not to show just how wounded he felt, but he was certain that he was as easy for Dakota to read as he had always been.
“You know how things can be at home.” Dakota said vaguely, but Evan knew what he was referring to. “I just want to keep you safe…” The larger man added, seemingly as an afterthought. Evan smiled sadly to himself, wondering just how much grief his childhood friend had been subjected to while he was gone. He simply hoped they would have a chance to discuss it once they were alone once more. The two walked side by side, with just enough distance between them to appear respectable. They stopped at the luggage claim, with Dakota easily heaving up the suitcases they had been unable to fit overhead. Evan made as if to help, but Dakota held the luggage just out of his reach. The more petite man sighed melodramatically, though, truth be told, he was happy to be saved the effort. He trailed behind Dakota, unable to resist his urge to stare at the broader man’s perfectly round backside.
Dakota came to an abrupt stop in in front of his old truck, tossing their luggage into the dirt-caked bed. Evan smiled faintly, feeling an inexplicable surge of affection as he lay eyes upon the truck. It seems some things did not change, at the very least.
“Surprised this thing still runs.” Evan smiled teasingly, receiving a reprimanding look in response.
“Don’t doubt Old Bessie. She’s got me through some hard times.” Dakota retorted plaintively. Evan chuckled, stepping towards the passenger side and moving to slip into the truck. Dakota finished loading up their remaining luggage before circling to the driver’s side, pulling himself into the seat and slipping the key into the ignition. He turned it, and the truck made a slight choking sound before beginning to rumble that purr Evan had been so familiar with. “See? She’s still going hard.” Dakota announced, shifting into gear and pulling out of the parking lot. Evan rolled his eyes good naturedly, staring out the window as they followed the familiar path towards home. It had been over four years since Evan had been on this path, but he was certain he would never forget it.
“So… are you living alone now?” Evan asked a manner he hoped seemed casual. Dakota breathed a sigh, throwing one arm along the back of the bench seat while keeping one hand on the steering wheel. Evan had to resist the desire to curl in closer to his friend’s side, settling for the satisfaction of being as close as he already was.
“Yeah. Been living alone for the past year or so. Had a roommate for a while, but that didn’t really… work out.” Dakota said with a slight cringe. Evan couldn’t help wondering if he was referring to the man that Dakota had mentioned as his stalker. He knew he should have likely felt afraid, faced with the prospect of being stalked by association, so to speak. However, a surge of protectiveness shot through him instead, and he daringly reached out a hand to rest on Dakota’s thigh. The larger man flinched away at first, but moments later, his tension seemed to ease away.
“We’ll take care of each other.” Evan said firmly. Dakota smiled wearily in response, and though he already seemed exhausted by the entire situation, Evan could also sense his appreciation.
“Isn’t that how it’s always been?” Dakota mumbled, tensing his hands on the steering wheel as they drove past Evan’s childhood home. Judging by the fact that Dakota had not even offered to stop by, Evan mused he was likely correct in his assumption of his parents being unhappy with the direction he’d taken in the past few years. Moments later, they passed Dakota’s childhood home as well, but continued making a path down the bumpy asphalt road. Evan couldn’t help noticing that the small town had not changed much in his absence-- main street still mainly populated by the occasional mom and pop store.
“I work right over there.” Dakota offered, gesturing vaguely towards a rather homey looking diner. “I do the cooking. It’s not a glamorous job, but it pays the bills.” He drawled, receiving an intrigued hum in response. They continued down the road, taking a turn down a road that Evan himself had never explored before. He was vaguely aware that they were entering the less savory part of town, but tried not to let his hesitation show. If Dakota sensed his unease, he made no mention of it, simply staring ahead until they pulled into the parking space in front of a rather run down looking trailer. Dakota tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, a faint blush working its way up his neck. “I know it’s not as nice as you’re used to, and I’m hoping to save up for a better place, but--” He started timidly, cut off by Evan’s almost melodic laugh.
“It’s perfect Dakota. Hell, I could live happily in a trash can as long as it was with you.” He smiled. Dakota snorted in response, sounded faintly amused.
“Well, it’s only a slight step up from a trash can.” He mused, throwing open the driver’s side door and slipping out of the truck. Evan followed suit, stepping around to the back of the truck. Dakota systematically removed their luggage, and Evan reached out to help, only to be cut off by a curt look. “You’d break in half if you tried to carry some of this stuff.” Dakota said with a smirk. Evan narrowed his eyes towards the broader man, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I’m not some fragile little princess, D.” He muttered unhappily. Dakota hummed his acknowledgement, but still refused to let Evan lift a hand.
“No. But you’re my Prince Charming.” He drawled, smirking at the bright shade of red that enveloped Evan’s face. Though Evan was certain Dakota was simply teasing him, he could not ignore the happy little feeling that gurgled in his gut every time the other man made a flirtatious comment. He bit his lip, watching the subtle flexing of Dakota’s muscles as he lifted the
final suitcase out of the back of the truck.
“Does that mean you’re the princess, then?” Evan said teasingly, an amused giggle spilling past his lips in the face of the indignant look Dakota leveled in his direction. “Just following along with your metaphor, m’lady.” He continued. Dakota dropped the suitcase gripped in his hand, lurching towards Evan and grabbing him around the neck, pulling him in for a vicious noogie. Evan squawked unhappily, struggling to break free of the stronger man’s grip.
“Princess my ass, do I really need to show you who’s the boss around here?” Dakota grumbled, loosening his grip on Evan and allowing the more petite man to slip away. Evan stuck his tongue out at the larger man, moving to straighten his hair.
“Perhaps you’ll have to. I’m not so easily dominated.” He muttered, looking at his reflection in the driver’s side rearview mirror. He managed to fix his hair just so, hesitating after a moment when he realized Dakota had not replied. He straightened up, turning around and all but squealing in shock when he was roughly shoved against the side of the truck. There was an animalistic look in Dakota’s eyes, Evan felt the other man’s knee pressing just against his groin. He inhaled shakily, squeezing his eyes shut against the firm sensations. A soft whimper spilled past his lips, and he could feel his cock growing hard enough to strain against his jeans. He fought against his instinct to rut shamelessly against his childhood friend’s leg, gripping Dakota’s shirt and forcing his eyes open upon hearing an amused chuckle. Dakota wore an easy smile in spite of looking nearly as flustered as Evan himself, and the more petite man could not stop a whimper as Dakota drew away from him.
“Seems you have no issues being topped.” Dakota mused, turning away from Evan and going back about the task of carrying their luggage inside the trailer. Evan stared at the other man in disbelief, his legs feeling too weak to move. He could feel himself throbbing against the material of his jeans, and mused it had been no small wonder he hadn’t made a total mess of himself. He had never felt quite so aroused in his life, and it seemed as if Dakota was playing if off as some big joke. Once Evan felt strong enough to move again, he lurched forward, catching up to Dakota just outside the door to the trailer. Dakota glanced over his shoulder, yelping as he was shoved through the doorframe. “What the--” He sputtered, facing Evan only to feel the smaller man’s lips on his own. He groaned out in pleasure, and Evan felt his cock twitch at the sound.
Arrested by the Dragon: Gay Police Paranormal Romance Page 14