by G. R. Lyons
“Dad left me there, telling me to just play and have fun for a while, and that he'd come back for me later. I tried to go after him, but I lost him in the crowd. Then one of the women in the group looked at me and asked if I was alright. I told her I just wanted to go home, but then she took my hand and we walked across the plaza. I thought she was taking me back to my dad, but then we stopped in front of this group of men.” Asher blushed again. “They were all naked, too, and I wanted to touch them so bad, but before I could, my dad found me and pulled me back, yelling at the woman for taking me over there. The woman tried to tell my dad that I was gay, and he got even more angry, screaming at her that no son of his would be a fag.”
Vic visibly winced, and Asher felt Ryley tense beside him.
“We went back to the resort, and Dad yelled at me,” Asher continued. “He said I wasn't allowed to be attracted to men. That I was an abomination. I tried to tell him I couldn't help it, but he didn't believe me. He said I had to swear to change, or I'd regret it.” Asher swallowed hard. “I couldn't swear. How could I, when it was a lie?”
Vic gave him a solemn nod, and Ryley squeezed his hand.
Asher took another deep breath and went on: “He sent me to bed without dinner, and the next day he hired a boat to take us on an ocean tour to watch the whales. Except…we were going way too fast to see anything, and when Dad got me in the back of the boat, and no one was looking, he shoved me over the side.”
He stopped talking, his throat sore from speaking so much. Vic watched him in silence, then asked gently, “Then what happened?”
Asher swallowed and said, “I came up, choking, and saw the boat racing away. I tried screaming, but they couldn't hear me. No one ever looked back. The boat never turned. I was just…stuck out there.” He took a deep, shuddering breath, remembering the panic of that moment, nothing but water as far as he could see in any direction, left there to die by his own father.
“But you made it to land?” Vic prompted after a long silence.
Asher nodded, clearing his throat before he went on. “I thought I saw land, so I headed for it. It seemed to take hours, and there were times I was sure I was just imagining it. I was so tired, and my whole body hurt, and I could barely breathe. I thought about just…giving up. Letting myself drown. I mean, it was what my father wanted, right?” He shook his head. “But I didn't want to die. So I kept going, thinking if I could just make it to land, someone would come back for me.” Asher paused, and looked over at Ryley, smiling at the sight of his savior sitting beside him. Someone had come for him. Granted, it had taken thirteen years, but he was alive, and now he was going home thanks to the man currently holding his hand. Asher took another deep breath and turned back to Vic. “I think I passed out when I hit the beach. And I'm pretty sure I almost died a few times over those first few days. It hurt to move, but I was starving and thirsty, so I had to get up. I had to survive.”
“And you did,” Vic said, a proud smile on his face as he stopped the recording. He tapped away at the laptop keyboard for a moment, then closed the lid and sat back, crossing one leg over the other and folding his hands in his lap. “Are you up for a little more or would you like a break?”
Asher glanced at Ryley, then took a bracing breath. “I'm alright.”
“Good.” Vic gave a nod. “I'd like to discuss how we're going to proceed from here. I won't be recording any of this, but I will be taking notes for your file.” He paused, glancing at Ryley before focusing on Asher again. “Ryley doesn't need to be present for this.”
Ryley slowly tried to release Asher's hand, but Asher held on, heart racing with the prospect of not having Ryley's comforting presence. “I'd like him to stay,” he insisted.
Vic glanced at their hands, an unreadable expression crossing his face, then gave a nod. “As you wish.” Vic outlined a suggested schedule of therapy sessions, both while they were still on Erostil and once they got back to Agoran, explaining what Asher could expect to get out of it and what he might experience along the way. Vic sat forward, his tone and expression gentle. “This is going to be difficult at times, but I can promise you, it will be worth it. It's going to take time to get you accustomed to society again, but it can happen. You can have a full, normal, happy life. It just won't happen overnight.”
Asher nodded.
“And I want you to be completely honest about your feelings,” Vic went on. “You've been through an incredible experience. A traumatic one. I need you to know that anything and everything you might be feeling is perfectly valid. You may experience depression, anger, fear, sadness. You'll probably go through a period of grief, missing the life you had on the island.” He held up a hand. “No matter how much you might have wanted to get away from there, it's now familiar to you, and letting go of the familiar is never an easy task.”
Ryley tensed again at Asher's side, but Vic didn't seem to notice.
“And like I told you last night,” Vic continued, “if you ever need to retreat, there's nothing wrong with that. You don't even have to leave the suite if you don't want to. It can just be the three of us, no other people, until it's time for us to leave. And if even the two of us are too much,” he went on, gesturing at himself and Ryley, “you're perfectly welcome to go to one of the bedrooms and shut the door for as long as you need. We won't disturb you. I promise you that.”
Ryley squeezed Asher's hand again, a silent agreement with Vic's words, and Asher nodded. “Thank you.”
“Good. Now.” Vic pulled out his mobile. “I already called your uncle yesterday while you were napping, and gave him the news we'd found you. But if you'd like to speak with him yourself–”
“Yes.” Asher sat forward, pulling his hand free of Ryley's grasp.
Vic smiled and dialed a number. He put the phone to his ear, waiting, then his smile grew. “Mr. Arden? Victor Lucius again. I have someone here who'd like to speak to you.”
He handed the phone over, and Asher took it with shaky hands. “H-Hello?”
“Oh my gods. Ash? Is that you?”
Asher gasped out a breath. That voice hadn't changed a bit in thirteen years. “Uncle Greg…”
“Oh, thank gods. Ash? Thank gods. I've missed you so much, kiddo.”
Asher pressed a hand over his eyes as tears streamed down his cheeks, and Ryley put an arm around him, hugging him close to his side as Asher let out a shuddering breath. “I've missed you, too.”
Chapter 11
RYLEY HEARD a knock at the door and rolled over, blinking in the dark.
“Ryley?” Asher whispered.
Ryley sat up. “Hey, Ash. You alright?”
Asher stepped into the room, still holding the door handle. “Could I–” He paused, fidgeting. “I can't sleep, and–”
“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” Ryley tossed the covers back. “Come on.”
Asher quickly and quietly shut the door, then darted across the dark room and climbed into bed. Ryley waited a moment, and when Asher didn't move any closer, Ryley reached across Asher, grabbed his arm, and started to roll onto his side, putting his back to the man. He heard Asher breathe a sigh of relief, wrapping himself around Ryley's smaller frame, just like they'd done in Asher's cave.
Ryley smiled and closed his eyes.
“Ryley?” Asher whispered.
“Hmmm, yeah?”
Asher was silent for a long moment, then asked, “He did it because I'm gay, didn't he?”
Ryley twisted just enough that he could look back at Asher over his shoulder, his face barely visible in the dark. “Your dad?”
Asher nodded.
Ryley sighed through his nose. “Yeah, I think so.”
Asher nodded again, looking down. “Why would he hate me so much for something I can't control?”
Ryley shrugged. “Some parents just can't handle it.”
Asher's eyes flicked up to his. “Did your parents–”
Ryley shook his head. “My folks knew before I did. I was a total cliché. You know, pr
ancing around in my mom's makeup and heels, long before I knew I was attracted to boys. But my parents never tried to censor me or anything. They just wanted me to be happy, whatever that meant for me. Now Vic's parents…different story–”
“Vic's gay, too?”
“Yeah. Hard to tell, isn't it?”
Asher nodded.
Ryley chuckled. “Yeah, Vic's about as straight-laced as they come. I had no clue he was gay until the day he asked me out on a date. Really threw me. Other than that, he never pinged on my gaydar at all.”
Asher frowned. “Gaydar?”
Ryley stifled a laugh, not wanting to bark it out and wake Vic in the next room. “A completely not-scientific sense that someone else might be gay.” Ryley shrugged. “More of a feeling, but sometimes it works. Like with Zac. He's our other bandmate. He tried so hard to pretend he was straight, but I knew he was gay the first day we met. I saw his eyes linger just a little bit too long on this really hot guy who walked by us, so I knew.” He grinned.
Asher looked down again. “Did you and he…”
“Me and Zac?” Ryley stifled another laugh. “Gods, no. He's so not my type. Besides, we're both bottoms.”
“Bottoms?”
Ryley's eyebrows went up. “Oh, babe, I keep forgetting you have so much to learn.” Ryley grinned at him, murmuring, “So much I could teach you.”
Asher looked up at him again, chewing on his lip before he asked, “Could you– I mean, would you tell me how to– You know, that thing you did to me…with your mouth…”
Ryley chuckled. “A blowjob?”
Asher nodded. “You made me feel so good,” he mumbled, looking down. It was too dark to tell, but Ryley was pretty sure the man was blushing. “I want to do that for you.”
Ryley almost whimpered, his cock hardening at thought of Asher's mouth on it. “Well, any man who turns down a blowjob is a fool.” He pulled free of Asher's arms, tossed back the sheets, and reached over to switch on a bedside lamp. He shucked his boxers, leaving himself completely naked, and stretched out on his back, resting against the pillows with his hands behind his head and a grin on his face.
Asher blushed, but didn't move.
“Hey, Ash,” Ryley murmured, “you can look. You won't get in trouble.”
Asher glanced at Ryley's face, then turned his eyes directly on Ryley's cock, his blush spreading as he just sat there, staring. Ryley's cock twitched, and Asher blinked in surprise.
“Touch me, Ash,” Ryley whispered, seeing the raw hunger in the man's eyes, probably the same look Asher had worn that day he'd found himself surrounded by naked men, all right there within reach before his father had snatched him away. “You're safe here.”
Asher reached out tentatively and lightly touched the head of Ryley's cock with just the tip of his finger. Ryley's cock twitched again, desperate for contact, and Asher snatched his hand back, startled. Then he smiled shyly and reached out again, gently curling his hand around the shaft and giving an experimental stroke.
“Oh yeah,” Ryley breathed, almost purring at the warmth of that hand. “Feels good.”
Asher blushed again. “How do I–”
Ryley spread his legs and got Asher situated between them, the big man lying on his belly and bracing himself on his forearms. Ryley grabbed his cock and held it up toward Asher's mouth, then coached him through it, telling him how to guard his teeth, when to use his tongue, when to go faster and when to slow down. The poor guy had to stop several times, his jaw aching, but he never quit.
Asher put his hands on Ryley's hips, his fingers idly exploring Ryley's skin as he worked, like he couldn't get enough and never wanted to let go.
After a while, when Asher had to stop more frequently to rest his jaw, Ryley took Asher's hand and wrapped it around his shaft, having Asher stroke his length while he kept his mouth focused on the head, bobbing shallowly, sucking hard at the tip, and exploring all around with his tongue. Ryley snaked his own hand down behind his balls, toying with his own hole as Asher finally brought him to the edge.
“Ash…” he warned. Ryley had told the man he didn't have to swallow if he wasn't ready—if Ryley were being honest with himself, he really ought to get tested first, anyway—and Asher popped his mouth off the tip, stroking Ryley's cock with one hand while Ryley continued fingering his own hole. He shot all over his chest, just catching a flicker from the bedside lamp before his eyes squeezed shut as he threw his head back and stifled a moan.
Ryley heard a tiny hiss of pain, and opened his eyes as he tried to catch his breath. “Ash? You alright?”
Asher grimaced and slowly got up onto his knees. “Just…pain in my hip.”
Ryley pushed up onto his elbows. “Are you hurt?”
Asher shrugged. “Probably just from my accident. Though…it hasn't hurt in a long time.” Asher rubbed at the spot, and Ryley looked down, drawing his attention to the obvious tenting of Asher's brand new pajama pants.
Ryley smirked. “Are you hard, Ash?” he murmured. “Did it turn you on, having my cock in your mouth?”
Asher blushed, his hand falling away from his hip.
Ryley lay back on the pillows again. “Show me, Ash. Show me that beautiful cock of yours. I wanna see just how hard you are.”
Asher's blush spread, but he slid back off the end of the bed and stood, framed between Ryley's spread knees as he stripped off his shirt and dropped it on the floor, followed by his pajama pants and underwear. He got back up on the bed, and Ryley crooked a finger, urging him to shuffle closer. Asher inched his way forward until the insides of his thighs were pressed right up against Ryley's ass.
“Touch yourself, Ash,” Ryley said. “I want you to come all over me.”
The redness on Asher's cheeks only got worse, and the man bit his lip, looking away. Still, he did as Ryley asked, grabbing his own cock and giving it a long, slow stroke from tip to root. Asher moaned, and stroked again. He looked down at Ryley's body, still decorated in his own cum, and Asher let go, stroking his cock with a firm, steady confidence as he met Ryley's eyes.
Ryley whimpered at the sight. Maybe there was an exhibitionist locked away inside this man, one that could match his own.
Asher sped up his strokes, keeping his gaze on Ryley's face the whole time. His free hand came down on Ryley's hip, his fingers gripping so hard that Ryley was sure he'd have bruises the next day, but he totally didn't care. Asher getting lost in passion was a sight worth just about anything.
And it only got better. Asher stopped moving his hand and fucked into it instead, his hips thrusting so hard that Ryley knew the bed would have been banging against the wall had the thing not been bolted in place. Asher's balls slapped against Ryley's ass with each thrust, and Ryley moaned, feeling his cock wake up again at the sensation.
Asher's hand tightened on Ryley's hip and his whole body shuddered as he came, shooting streaks of cum all over Ryley's chest.
“Oh my gods,” Asher panted.
Ryley grinned. Asher undone was an exquisite thing.
Asher caught his breath and opened his eyes. He looked down at their combined mess all over Ryley's body, a curious look on his face. He blushed again, then leaned down, bracketing Ryley's body with his arms, and sampled the cum with just the tip of his tongue.
Holy shit. Ryley inwardly groaned. That was so fucking hot.
Then Asher tried it again, lapping up a bit more.
Ryley grinned. “Taste good?”
Asher blushed as he tried to meet Ryley's eyes, and gave a nod.
Ryley chuckled, his grin widening. “Share some with me.”
Asher looked up, a curious frown on his face.
“Lick some up, and then kiss me,” Ryley clarified.
Asher's frown slowly faded. “Kiss?”
Ryley nodded, watching the play of thoughts on the man's face. A twelve-year-old boy wouldn't be interested in kissing, but Asher wasn't that boy anymore, and Ryley saw the moment when a habitual pattern of thought gave way to curiosit
y. Asher ducked down, licked across Ryley's chest, then stretched up and pressed their lips together. Ryley coaxed Asher's mouth open and thrust his tongue inside, tasting their combined cum.
Asher whimpered at the same time Ryley moaned, and the kiss turned frenzied. It was clumsy and awkward at first, but soon turned into something heated and incredible as Asher slowly got the hang of it. He came down on Ryley's body, squishing their mess between them as they both frantically grappled, touching and grabbing one another everywhere they could possibly reach.
“Oh my gods,” Asher breathed, breaking the kiss and gasping for air.
Ryley nodded, trying to catch his own breath. “You could say that again. Holy shit.” He took a deep breath, and sighed. “How do you feel?”
Asher slumped across him. “I can't imagine anything in the world feeling better than this.”
Ryley chuckled. “That's nothing. Trust me, it gets even better.”
Asher lifted his head and gave Ryley a disbelieving look. “There's more?”
“Oh yeah,” Ryley said, then covered his mouth as he yawned. He hummed low in his throat and wiggled down into the bed as his eyes slipped closed. “I'll totally show you tomorrow.”
Asher made a noise of assent, then peeled himself off of Ryley, reminding him they still had a sticky mess to clean up. Ryley got up with a groan, went to the attached washroom, wet a cloth in warm water, wiped them both down, then jumped right back into bed, snuggling down under the covers and reaching out to switch off the light.
“'Night, Ash,” Ryley murmured.
He felt Asher smile against his shoulder. “'Night, Ryley.”
Ryley smiled and fell asleep.
* * *
ASHER GASPED awake, startled at the unfamiliar surroundings, just like he'd done the morning before, his first morning off the island. Except, that time, he'd woken alone on the couch, but this time, he was in bed. With Ryley. Asher smiled and settled back down on his side, watching the man sleep.