by Aiden Bates
Jeff knows the answer before he even finishes the question. He knows he can’t lie to Julian, he has the world’s worst poker face, and besides that, he doesn’t want to. Today, just like every other day of his life but especially today, all Jeff wants to do is get laid. And maybe write a little—he’s working on a goodbye note he’ll have to carve into stone or punch into metal or something, just in case everyone he knows dies but English still lives on. One can always dream.
It’s hard to imagine the cozy sloping hills he’s driving through now being decimated by the end of the week, the trees eradicated and the ground poisoned. For a few stretches of time, in the silence of the car (because he’s not listening to one more radio commercial for the rest of his life, he’s decided that for sure), Jeff sometimes forgets what’s going down. He forgets it all like it’s some disturbing yet fading dream, and he truly lives in the moment: he’s on his way to see a date, and the weather’s fine and his friends are waiting around for him to return later, and everything is perfect. It’s a nice feeling regardless of how false it is, and he’s not the only one who’s living in the dream; Julian’s grandmother is in that strange, detached place too. She’s been feuding with her husband for years, decades, but after understanding that phone call, and having already lived most of her natural life, she’s taking to the end of the world very peacefully by reuniting with her man. He comes up from the basement, she shuts off her TV, and they’ve been cooking all day and talking about the old days, according to Julian, who is waiting outside the front door of his house for Jeff, to warn him.
“She always said she would hate him until the end of the world over … something, some fight almost older than I am, I don’t think either one of them actually remember why they stopped talking to each other, but pride wouldn’t let either one of them just say forget it or I’m over it. She did say she’d let it go at the end of the world though, and since that’s upon us … she’s a woman of her word, I guess.”
“That’s almost sweet,” Jeff says. Not so nice they’ve been such blockheads for so long, but poetic in a sense, practically literary in its fitting balance.
“Sure,” Julian says with a shrug. He seems pretty listless as he walks back to his room and flops down on the bed. Jeff joins him there and holds Julian in his arms as he goes through what he knows.
“It looks like you and your grandma both believe that phone call.”
“You believed it first, the look on your face said you knew it was true, even if you didn’t want to admit it yet. I quit my job, you know. It’s nice, I don’t have to work ever again.”
“Yes, you do,” Jeff says, lifting up on one hand and turning Julian’s shoulder with the other, so that the guy’s looking up at him. “You have to work if you want to live, there’s stuff to do.”
Julian rolls his eyes. “Why bother? Grandma and Grandpa don’t even want to try, they’re just going to take some really heavy narcotics and either overdose or sleep through the carnage. Why shouldn’t I just stay with them? Maybe I’m tired of being alive.”
“No, Julian, please,” Jeff says, leaning down to kiss Julian, to remind him of at least one thing worth staying alive for: sex. “My friend, he works for the government, kind of, he knows stuff, he’s got plans. He’s the one who convinced us all this was really happening, that’s something’s going on with the higher ups. He’s the one who can help us find a place to hole up. Come with me, come with us! You’d love my friends and I know they’d love you.”
“Kiss me again,” Julian says. His eyes are lidded, somewhat purplish like he’s sick or exhausted, and Jeff would love to kiss him, but he doesn’t want to get distracted.
“Answer me first,” Jeff says. “Come with me and live! I never thought I’d say that, but it’s what I have to offer.”
Julian smiles up at Jeff, a lot of world-weariness on a face so young. Is it because his home life is so unconventional? Is it just the unthinkable news of the day that’s made him so tired of life? Surely he won’t refuse to really live on his last few days! Plan for the best but prepare for the worst. If Kevin can’t save them, at least they’ll all be smart enough to have fun, right?
“I’ll think about it, okay? But I don’t want to think right now, I want you to do stuff to me.”
Be still my throbbing boner, Jeff thinks. His gift for words isn’t constant; he lets the good stuff out through his fingertips, keeps the eye-rollers to himself. Julian’s starting to smile dreamily up at him, and that’s what matters, seeing Julian happy.
“What kind of stuff do you like?”
“How dirty are you?” Julian asks. “Got any kinks?”
“I’m a total perv, I’d be happy to learn any new perversion you’ve got.”
“Turn around and start pulling stuff out of that top dresser drawer.”
Jeff does. The first thing he sees in there is a huge pair of slick red ladies’ heels: chunky heels, high ones, with a bunch of straps that would lash all the way up one’s calf. Next to that is a lot of medical supplies: a stethoscope, thermometer, a box of latex gloves, face masks, what looks like a speculum and some kind of giant turkey baster thing. That’s an enema thing, Jeff assumes. He starts pulling all of it out and clearing a spot on the bed for it all to line up.
“Medical fetish then?” Jeff asks.
“That’s my main one, yeah.”
“And who wears these, you or me?” Jeff asks, holding up the high heels.
“Me. I want you to put them on me.”
“That’ll give you a boner?”
“Oh, yeah, a pretty considerable one. I usually don’t spring all my fetishes on a guy this soon, you know, I’d really rather be a gentleman and ease you into this stuff, but, all things considered, you know.”
“I know, and I don’t mind getting access to the treasure chest early, whatever the reason.”
Now Julian is grinning. “Check the closet, there’s a table in there. It’s got leg stirrups attached.”
“Oh, shit,” Jeff says. That sounds damn fine to him, nothing weird about it. Jeff jumps up to get that thing out and standing. Julian gets up and strips languidly, before hopping naked up onto the table, and waiting for instruction.
Jeff gets naked too, goes through the costume stuff and puts on a face mask and a hair cover, and that’s all he’s wearing outside of the stethoscope he drapes around his neck. This is where his gift for writing is going to come into play: if he can write a short story set in a doctor’s office, or an article about some doctor to puff up his reputation, then he can certainly come up with a little dirty medical talk.
“Sir, if you could just lie back, and slide your rear to the edge of the table here, I need to examine you.”
Julian’s face is in a different sort of trance now, his skin is pinking up as he flushes a bit around his neck. He obeys.
“If you could just put your legs up in these stirrups, I need to make sure you have the proper protective gear on before we begin.” That’ll be the pumps, those shoes that Jeff is quick to strap on (even though the buckles are tiny and difficult for his blunt fingers to deal with). He doesn’t mind taking the time to do it right, however, since it really does start making Julian as hard as rock. He sticks the heels of his shoes back in the stirrups, puts his hands behind his head, and waits.
Once the shoes are on, Jeff puts on one latex glove. There’s lube in the drawer too, and standard sex toys like dildos and ben-wa balls, but Jeff sticks to the theme of their little scenario.
“This lubricant may feel cold, but I need to take your temperature.” Jeff will start with that small thermometer.
It’s a real thermometer, so it won’t do much to pleasure Julian girth-wise, but after it goes up his ass and Jeff tweaks it a few times to make sure Julian can feel it moving, then it goes into his mouth.
“Hold that under your tongue, it’s very important,” Jeff says. His boner arises to full strength now and starts to leak.
“Now it’s time for the prostate exam.”
Julian moans; he wants Jeff to poke around in his asshole—excellent. “I’m going to insert my finger into your rectum,” Jeff says, holding up his middle finger. Julian bucks to hear the medical term, so Jeff keeps it up. “My finger will have to slide through your sphincter, into your anal cavity, and once it’s in there I will have to stroke your prostate to make sure you’re healthy. If this stimulation causes you any discomfort or even arousal, that is natural, please don’t be embarrassed.”
Jeff coats his finger in lube and slips it inside of Julian, fucking him with the digit the way no professional doctor ever would. His thumb is massaging Julian’s balls at the same time, and Jeff is sure to point that out.
“My apologies for the way your testicles are being fondled, there’s just no other way to do the exam.”
“Okay,” Julian whispers. His hands are holding onto his head tight, to keep them in place.
“All is good inside of your anus. Now I’m going to need to extract a semen sample.” Jeff will be doing that with his mouth. “We’re pressed for time so the method may seem a little unorthodox, but I assure you it’s sanitary. I will use my mouth for oral manipulation of the penis, and when you are nearing completion, let me know, so we can deposit your semen into this vial.” Julian has glass vials with little rubber caps in his drawer. They’ll have to do something with his cum before they’re done today.
Jeff lowers his face mask under his chin and starts to suck Julian’s cock, fills his mouth with it aggressively since Julian is in character and not moving at all (though he is tense, struggling to stay still). Eventually there is a noise in his throat that lets Jeff know he’s close, and Jeff puts the opening of the vial right against the tip of Julian’s cock so there won’t be a drop spilled. Jeff continues stroking Julian’s cock with his gloved hand, and then watches Julian’s liquid come pumping out, thick and pearly.
“This is excellent,” Jeff says, capping the vial. “It looks like I know the exact condition you have and the fastest way to cure it. Again, this is a bit unconventional, but I guarantee you that you will walk out of this office very differently from how you walked in.” He’ll be walking funny because Dr. Jeff is about to fuck his asshole. Jeff lubes up his cock and starts to slide it in.
“Now, this may be a strange sensation for you, because you are being penetrated by a very thick, warm appendage at the moment. You may notice that your anal cavity feels full, almost as if you’re about to defecate—this is normal in the penetration process. It is important that I go in as deeply as possible, because without full penetration, and inseminating the treatment as deeply as possible, this might have to keep happening to you.” Jeff is pounding him now, scooting the table slightly with each thrust while Julian holds onto it with white knuckles. “You would have to be repeatedly penetrated. Your sphincter could become chapped raw from the friction of having another male’s member thrusting in and out of your anus. And the feeling,” Jeff says, puffing now, close to finishing. “The feeling of having your … digestive system … violated … of having multiple inseminations that would … leak into your underwear for the rest of the day … so you can’t stop thinking about what has been inside of you …”
With that said, Jeff groans, and his balls pump his cum deep into Julian’s ass. The heat from his ass crack is against Jeff’s stomach, and Julian is bucking his hips now, using the stirrups for leverage, making sure that his insides keep sliding up and down Jeff’s cock even when Jeff can’t move, he can only lock his knees and hold onto the table for dear life. He must like this fetish too, because looking at Julian spread wide open and vulnerable like this is unbelievably hot. Julian stays on the table and waits for Jeff to get it together again. Jeff stands up straight, pulls out of Julian, and reaches for the same vial Julian barely filled. He opens it and puts the opening into Julian’s hole.
“This may be difficult,” Jeff says weakly, “but please try to disgorge the semen that has been deposited inside of you. You will need the combined substances for your complete treatment.”
Julian starts to undulate, and with two pushes manages to push out Jeff’s cum so that it joins his own.
“Well done,” Jeff says, taking the vial out and capping it again.
“Will I have to swallow this mixture?” Julian asks. Jeff looks at him and gets a subtle nod from Julian so that he knows the answer is yes.
“Yes, you will. It may not go down smoothly, it may activate your gag reflex, but you have to swallow all of it. You must drink every last drop.”
Julian nods, and suddenly he’s in charge again. He sits up, gestures for the vial, and then waves Jeff over to stand in front of him. Jeff goes to him and Julian starts to kiss his shoulders and neck, to hang all over him.
“I’m going to hold this in my mouth, I might gargle it, okay? Don’t be uncomfortable, okay?”
“Go ahead,” Jeff says. Like he’d ever say no to this perfect, sexy, filthy, beautiful boy … he wouldn’t dream of it! “What do you want me to do?”
“Just hold me, tight, I’m going to be able to cum again, I want to see it all over your chest. So when I say get on your knees, do it, okay?”
“Yes, sir,” Jeff says, a smile nearly on his lips.
Julian moans again at being called sir, upends the vial in his mouth, and starts to jerk himself off with one hand while the other circles around Jeff’s waist and holds him close. Within thirty seconds of the gargling noise Julian is making in his mouth, he swallows hard and says, “On your knees.”
Jeff hits the deck, and leans back while holding out his arms, presenting his chest like a canvas to be painted. Julian’s skin blushes red halfway down his own chest until he leans up on his tiptoes from the table and dashes his cum all over Jeff with flicks of the wrist.
When he finishes though, Julian’s last sigh turns into a sob.
Jeff is up fast, holding Julian again, kissing his face, and Julian is shaking his head the whole time, and then starts to smile through his tears.
“I want to come with you, Jeff. I want to live, I want to try, I’m not done being alive yet, I can’t choose to stop it, I can’t.”
“You’re perfect,” Jeff tells him. “You talk to your grandparents, you figure out when you want to go, and we’ll go. I love you.”
Jeff doesn’t give Julian a chance to say it back, because he immediately sticks his tongue in Julian’s mouth and starts kissing the taste of life right out of him.
9. Glenn Has a Solution
By the end of the day they hear the bad news, everyone arrives back home. It’s the same people who were there for breakfast, and yet everyone and everything is different. Jeff and Sam both come back with brand new instant boyfriends, and now suddenly the group of people who know the truth is swelled by two. Clarkie knew this secret from Alex the whole time, and his stoicism is suddenly admirable when before he just seemed blasé about the death of the guy he was shacking up with. Clarkie was feeling way more than that and kept it all to himself. Now he and Sam have found comfort with each other, and literally lean against one another wherever they sit down. Good for them; everybody deserves somebody to love today.
Then, of course, there’s Julian, brand new to them all, and no one can even criticize Jeff for bringing him into their inner circle (they’re used to criticizing most of what Jeff does, but he’s doing okay today) because Julian’s phone is the one that brought them all this news. Clarkie swears he wasn’t going to tell them unless Alex somehow left a message, because they’d never have believed him. He would have let the end come and been alone in every sense of the word the whole time. Tough kid.
Julian seems sweet enough, and certainly Jeff is happier than he’s ever been because he’s getting laid, he’d probably say destroying the world was worth it if that’s what it took to get some reliable action. They’ve got each other, same as Sam and Clarkie, and of course Glenn has Kevin, and he and Kevin both have the kids, and then that just leaves Greg. Gorgeous Greg, the least likely to ever be kicked out of bed b
y anyone, and here he is alone at the end of the world, no one to hold on to exclusively. It breaks Glenn’s heart to see him try and participate during dinner, to watch him flinch away whenever one of their new couples start kissing, or Kevin and Glenn turn to each other to talk about their kids. Everybody else knows what they’re working for tomorrow and the next day and the rest of the week, everyone else knows why they’re going to hustle to stay alive, and though Greg isn’t lost to them yet, not like Alex was and is, Glenn wonders if it won’t just be a matter of time. Even if they do find a place to hole up, even if they are smart with getting emergency supplies and manage to live long lives underground somewhere, how long will he be able to hold on to the scraps of other people’s affection? The rest of one’s life is a long time.
Glenn has a moment to muse on it that night as he and Kevin crawl into bed. Shopping lists have been printed for each of them, Kevin has handed out all the assignments, and he himself is in charge of finding a place for them to go, trying to find out where the leftover Cold War fallout shelters are and researching just what if anything could insulate them from the bombs. Hopefully their sleepy little hollow won’t sustain a direct hit, because there’s nothing that would save them from that, no ground deep enough so that the blast wouldn’t dig them up and burn them alive, but Glenn doesn’t focus on that right now. He’s got to put his energy towards the variables he can actually control.
How strange that two days ago Glenn was worrying about a midlife crisis! How funny that all their worries about who’d they all become and what they’d accomplished since college has completely disappeared, as irrelevant now as it honestly should have been before the drastic news. What’s so bad about growing older? Nothing, so long as you’re still pretty far from death. Suddenly, when the end is coming up fast, nothing in the world sounds quite as good as living a long, drawn-out life. If nothing else, this tragedy has put things in perspective for Glenn, put his priorities in order. The most important thing is life—healthy, happy life. With that in mind, Glenn has a rather odd favor to ask of Kevin.