“Why us instead of the cops?” Vin asked.
“Because you look like what you are—or were—young men who spend all their time on the streets. Emphasis on young. No cop, no matter how good they are at going undercover, has that going for them. On top of that, you know what to look for once you’ve been given an assignment.”
Davie leaned back, studying Slade. “Who are you?”
Slade smiled slowly. “A man who cares and has the ability to do something about righting wrongs. We’ll leave it at that.”
“A superhero without the immortality,” Vin said.
“Don’t go there,” Slade replied. “The heroes are the people who work with me. The two of you are perfect examples of that. Don’t protest,” he added when Davie started to. “It’s true. However, right now, we have to get going, so go get your stuff.”
Davie and Vin did, changing into the clothes they’d worn on the plane coming out there, since they figured they’d be flying. They were correct.
Several hours later, Slade was opening the door to their new home. It was an apartment in a lower middle-class area of a city on the north-west coast.
“Nice,” Davie said after he and Vin had checked it out. There were two bedrooms, a living-dining area, and what he considered a decent sized kitchen that included a microwave along with the normal appliances. While the furniture wasn’t high-end, it definitely was better than what they’d had at the Encampment—including the fact the beds were full-sized, meaning either one was large enough to hold both of them comfortably.
“Now down to business,” Slade said, taking a seat on the armchair and gesturing toward the small sofa. When the young men were seated, he opened the messenger bag he’d brought with him. “These are your new IDs, the information on your joint bank account, and credit and debit cards.” He handed one set to Vin, the other to Davie.
Davie whistled when he saw how much they had in the bank. “We’ll pay you back for this, and for the apartment rent, and, well, everything,” he said.
“No need to. Call it my payment to you for what you’ve done so far. You have jobs waiting for you at a small restaurant run by a friend of mine. I would suggest that you go shopping in the morning for better clothes.”
“No kidding,” Vin replied. “Maybe a tux and…” He grinned when Davie smacked his thigh.
“To all intents and purposes,” Slade told them, “you moved out here to make a life for yourselves after Davie graduated high school, because your parents weren’t happy about your relationship. At least that’s what I told the building manager when I decided on this apartment for you. I’m your loving, and very understanding uncle, in case he says anything.”
“You’re a lot more than that,” Davie said emphatically. “Without you both of us would still be on the streets, or worse.”
“I suspect you’d have survived and made something of your lives in spite of everything. I just gave you a boost and a reason to try now, not five years down the road.” Slade stood at that point, saying, “But enough of this back-patting. I have a plane to catch and you have a new life to start living. I’ll be in touch when I need you, which reminds me.” He opened his bag and handed them each a phone. “These are registered in your new names, and are untraceable.”
“See, told you,” Davie said to Vin. “Super spies are us.” Then he got up as well, going to give Slade a hug. “Thank you, for everything.”
Slade hugged him back, replying, “You might think twice about that when you get your next assignment. Before you ask, I don’t know what it will be, but you will have one.”
Vin, being slightly more standoffish, shook Slade’s hand while thanking him. Then Slade was gone.
“I can’t believe it,” Davie said. “We have a place of our own and we’re safe. Really safe.” He went to check the fridge, and then the cupboards. “And foodless. We have to go shopping.”
Vin grinned. “You thought food came with the rent?”
“Well, no.”
“Let’s get unpacked then we’ll shop and eat and watch some TV. It’s been forever since I have, other than in shop windows or the last few days at Tanner’s shelter, and that was daytime shows.” Vin shuddered dramatically.
They did as Vin suggested, coming home with grocery bags laden down with food and necessities. When everything was put away, they ate the steaks they’d splurged on, to celebrate having a place of their own. They tried watching TV afterward but discovered they had other things on their minds.
“I vote we make an early night of it,” Davie said, running his hand up Vin’s leg.
“I’m not certain it will early, but it’ll be much more interesting than this.” Vin got up, turned the TV off, and taking Davie’s hand led him to the bedroom they’d decided would be theirs.
Clothes came off amid shared kisses, condoms were rolled on hard cocks, then they spent time working each other into a fever pitch with hands and mouths.
Vin brought a halt to that when he kneeled over Davie to say, “I never asked, and you never said. Have you ever had…well, I guess, real sex?”
Davie nodded. “It’s been a long time. Back in high school before the bastard tried to rape me.” He could say that now without the wave of fear that usually accompanied talking about it. “Twice, actually. The guy was a senior, so he knew what he was doing. Okay, I guess that doesn’t necessarily follow, but he did.”
Vin smiled. “I get what you meant. Was he the giver, or the receiver?”
“If you trying to ask did he fuck me, yeah, he did. The first time was scary. The second was fun. Then, hell, he moved on to someone closer to his age.” Davie clutched his chest dramatically. “I was heartbroken. Or not. Honestly, he was a nice guy and a good teacher but that was about it.”
“Whew. So if I want to fuck you, you’re okay with it.”
Davie broke into laughter despite the seriousness of the question. “Okay? Damn, Vin, I can’t think of anything I want more right now than having you screw me.”
With that, they set out to prove exactly how compatible they were in bringing each other to the heights of ecstasy and over the edge into what they both deemed pretty spectacular orgasms.
“We’ll do better with practice,” Vin said when they could talk without panting.
“Yep.” Davie snuggled into his embrace. “Lots and lots and lots of practice.”
Kissing Davie’s temple, Vin replied, “Sounds good to me.”
And so their new life began. It wasn’t without its problems. They were after all two guys learning to live together as a couple with all that entailed. There was danger, too, when Slade brought them in on jobs he told them only they could handle. That meant reverting to what they had been before they met—homeless kids living on the streets. They survived and when they returned home it made them realize even more how lucky they were to have found each other—and to have been rescued by Slade.
“Without him…” Davie said late one evening after celebrating yet another successful job.
“We wouldn’t be here, living like real people.” Vin kissed him softly. “Not that we weren’t real people before, but…”
“Now, we’re being treated as if we are. Maybe, someday, everyone will realize that being homeless is not an incurable disease they have to ignore because they’re afraid they’ll catch it too.”
Vin nodded, holding him tight. “Until then, we’ll do what we can to help those in need. It’s all we can do.”
“We will,” Davie replied softly. “To the best of our abilities, we will.”
THE END
ABOUT EDWARD KENDRICK
Born and bred in Cleveland, I earned a degree in technical theater, later switched to costuming, and headed to NYC. Finally seeing the futility of trying to become rich and famous in the Big Apple, I joined VISTA—Volunteers in Service to America—ending up in Chicago for three years. Then it was on to Denver where I put down roots and worked as a costume designer until I retired in 2007.
I began wr
iting a few years ago after joining an online fanfic group. Two friends and I then started a group for writers, where they could post any story they wished no matter the genre or content. Since then, for the last five years, I’ve been writing for publication—my first book came out in February of 2011. Most, but not all, of my work is M/M, either mildly erotic or purely ‘romantic.’ More often than not it involves a mystery or action/adventure, and is sometimes paranormal to boot.
For more information, visit edwardkendrick.blogspot.com.
ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC
JMS Books LLC is a small queer press with competitive royalty rates publishing LGBT romance, erotic romance, and young adult fiction. Visit jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!
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