by Max Hudson
“I feel like a criminal.”
“I'm sorry, Charlie. I know this procedure appears invasive, but it's in your best interest to comply as much as possible.”
“He's ruining my life. First, he withdraws from me emotionally and then he tosses me into this ridiculous court battle.”
“You have all of my sympathy. Is there anything I can do to help you right now?”
Charlie let his shoulders sag, giving in to the weight of stress hanging over his head. He felt like he was pushing a great stone, perpetually pushing it up a hill and watching it roll back down only for the process to be repeated.
He shrugged. “I don't know, Chet. I just want this to be over as soon as humanly possible.”
“Well, right now, you're doing all the right things. I assure you that once we get through these meetings, everything will come to a close. The only way out is through. My grandmother always told me that.”
“I guess you're right.”
“This will be over sooner than you know it. I won't allow any discourse to get dragged out longer than a couple of months. All right?”
Charlie nodded. “All right, Chet. Thank you for calling today.”
“You're very welcome. I'll see you soon.”
Click.
Charlie slipped his phone back into his pocket. When he glanced up, he noticed the three customers carrying a couple of books to the checkout counter. He plastered on his best smile and walked over to the register.
“Good morning, friends. Did you find everything okay?”
He accepted the books as the customer replied, “Yeah! This place is tight. I can't wait to tell my little brother.”
“We have an event coming up for the tabletop card game, Mourning Glory. Would you like a flier for that?”
“Sure.”
He procured a flier from beneath the counter and handed it over along with the bag of books.
“Your total comes to $24.45 today. Is that a debit or credit card?”
“Credit.”
He nodded. “Excellent! Just follow the prompt on the screen and give the old signature before you leave.”
The three customers chatted amongst themselves as the card machine beeped. Charlie couldn't help but fade into the background, dissociating from the events unfolding around him. He followed the same motions as always with customers and handed them a receipt before wishing them a nice day.
When they left, the room returned to its usual hum of silence. He realized the radio wasn't playing and reached beneath the counter to find the dial. He turned up the music to a reasonable level and returned to his clipboard, humming along to the pop music playing as he shuffled through the sheets.
If I could just have one day where things aren't awful, I'll be happy. Can I just have one day?
He finished up the seating chart, set it on the copier, and scanned it into the computer. Once it was saved, he emailed it to his manager. He received a receipt that the email had been delivered and he smiled as he set the clipboard beneath the desk.
He relaxed into the seat behind the counter. As he did, he rested his hands behind his head and stretched, relieving the tension between his shoulder blades. He leaned further into the stretch, listening to his lower spine pop slightly with great satisfaction.
He grabbed his phone, opening his message thread with Elias. As he scrolled through the silly pictures they had shared with each other, he felt the weight of stress lift slightly from his shoulders.
He smiled as he sent a text saying, “Hope your day is better than mine!”
After tucking his phone away, he took another glance at the empty store. He shrugged.
I'll rest and then get back to it. There's no use thinking up a storm at work. I'll handle everything later.
Chapter Four
Elias
The sun kissed the windshield of the delivery truck, prompting Elias to squint and lower his head while keeping his eyes on the narrow road in front of him. He gently applied the brakes in front of an antique store. After putting the truck into park, he reached behind him to gather a few small boxes.
He hopped down from the truck just as the door swung open. “Hey, Elias! What do you have for me today?”
Elias smiled wide. “Hey, Marcella! I've got a few little items here. I'll need your autograph for them.”
She chuckled lightly as she tucked the packages under her arm. Elias procured the company phone from his pocket and clicked on the main menu, maneuvering through a few prompts to get to the signature page. He held up the phone to her.
She accepted the phone and drew her signature with her finger.
“This might be that twin lens camera I've been waiting on.”
Elias perked up. “Twin lens?”
“Yeah, it's an antique camera that was used in the 1870's. They go for quite a penny with the right buyer.”
“That sounds neat. Do you ever use the cameras?”
“On occasion. It can be fun to create with something from another time.”
He nodded in agreement. “If our tabletop campaigns ever used cameras, I'll have to come up here and buy one from you.”
“We have plenty of antique gear that you also might find appealing.”
“I'll remember that.”
“Thank you for bringing these by. Are you busy today?”
He hummed curiously. “Well, I've got a few rounds to do, but not more than usual. I'll let you know if anything else comes in!”
“Thanks, Elias. Have a good day!”
He waved as he hopped back into the truck, settling into the driver's seat. He yanked the belt over his lap and whipped out his phone, noticing a few messages from Charlie.
He smiled and leaned over his phone, holding it with two hands.
“I'm getting off early today,” Charlie wrote. “Do you want to do something?”
“Yes!” Elias wrote ecstatically. “You could come over and watch some reruns of Rose Crusaders. Theo turned me on to it and I haven't been able to stop.”
“Theo loves those fantasy dramas, eh?”
“Hey, they're not so bad!”
Charlie added a smiley face to his text and wrote, “You're not texting and driving, right?”
“You know me: safety first. I'm even wearing my seat belt!”
“What a man!”
Elias grinned wide, sticking his tongue out playfully even though Charlie couldn't see it. “Am I a cute man?”
“Only the cutest.”
“You're just saying that so I don't crash the truck out of pure heartbreak.”
“Wait, is that a real threat?”
Elias laughed. “No, I'm just kidding in the spirit of drama and all! I'll see you around 6:00 PM? I should be ready for you by then.”
“Do you want me to bring anything?”
“Just your handsome self.”
Charlie added several hearts to the chat and Elias sat back in his seat, smiling like a man who had just won the lottery. He bit his lower lip as he tucked his phone into his pocket. As he popped the truck into gear, he listened to the engine hum and applied his foot carefully to the gas, driving steadily down the narrow road until he reached a four-way stop.
He felt his phone buzz again. As much as he wanted to check it, he knew better than to glance even for a millisecond while he was driving. But he was curious. He wanted to know what Charlie had texted. He wanted to keep talking to Charlie.
He licked his lips as he made a right, driving down the main road back toward his next stop. He rolled carefully into a suburban neighborhood and glanced at the chart on the dashboard.
2457 Dowrey Lane.
He passed a few houses before stopping, turning on his caution lights as he went about collecting the necessary packages. He skipped up to the door and rang the doorbell, listening to the commotion erupt on the other side. A dog yapped irritatingly loud as the door opened and a woman accepted the packages. He collected her signature, wished her a good day, and then returned to the truck f
aster than an electrical current traveling to a light fixture.
He shrugged his shoulders.
It was just a small dog, Elias. Nothing to fear. You didn't even get near it and you took your allergy medicine today.
He huffed slightly with amusement as he reached for his water bottle.
God forbid Charlie ever wants to bring Scotty around. Then, my nose will really be in for it.
He swigged his water bottle and set it down in the cup holder, reaching for the gear shift to take off to the next stop. After he completed his round of deliveries, he returned to the postal shop and pulled into the garage. He parked and hopped out, taking his clipboard and water bottle with him.
“Did you finish your errands?”
He flipped around to find Mike chewing on a piece of jerky.
He nodded. “Sure did, man. How about you?”
Mike shrugged. “I didn't have too many today, but I think I need to pick up Darcy's route. She's out sick again.”
“Again?”
“Yeah, the flu has been going around.”
“Oof, stay away from me.”
Mike laughed. “I'm not the one who got her sick!”
“Yeah, but you're always hanging around her truck. You might have picked something up.”
“The cost of flirting is exposure to potential germs.”
“I'll say.”
Mike twirled his collection of keys as he walked with Elias toward the employee entrance. He set his keys on the hook and signed them back in before stepping aside to allow Elias to do the same.
“When's the next campaign?”
Elias hummed as he signed his keys in. “Should be next Wednesday unless Roger says otherwise.”
“I'll have to check the chat.”
“It's been quiet today. Everyone is probably busy with work.”
“Even Charlie?”
He smiled unexpectedly. “Nah, I just spoke to Charlie an hour ago.”
“How's that...separation...going?”
“That's not really for me to say.”
“Come on, man. We're all tight in this group.”
He chuckled lightly. “Save for Roger.”
“Yeah, well, we've kept it away from him so far. I'm just curious because I care. I can tell Charlie hasn't been the same since that whole divorce started.”
“He's doing okay. He's been dealing with a lot. Stanley hasn't been the easiest guy to divorce.”
Mike nodded with empathy. “I went through a pretty bad one a few years ago, so I totally feel that. I'll call him later and check on him.”
“I'll be with him later, but I'm sure he'll still appreciate a call.”
“Oh, neat! Send him my best and let him know to call us if he needs anything. We're just concerned.”
Elias nodded with gratitude. “I'll definitely let him know. I think he needs us now more than ever.”
“I couldn't agree more.”
“All right, dude. I'm clocking out. I'll see you Monday, okay?”
“See you Monday!”
Elias waved with a grin and then clocked out, wandering out through the delivery store toward the parking lot. He unlocked his car, slid inside, and rested his hands on the wheel, staring at the building.
It's only 4:30 PM, he thought dreamily. Not too much longer until I see Charlie.
After another few minutes of resting, he started his car and drove home where he began preparing for Charlie's arrival.
***
“Crap, he'll be here soon. Why do I have so many clothes?”
Elias tugged a collection of clothes into his arms, carrying them quickly to his bedroom. His laundry basket was overflowing. He tossed the clothes carelessly on top, watching as the basket inevitably fell over. He shook his head.
When he returned to the living room, he collected the Chinese takeout from the kitchen and started setting it up on the coffee table. He had hardly set up the plates when a meek knock came from the door. He hopped up to answer it, smiling widely at Charlie.
“Hey, handsome. Come on in!”
Charlie smiled and stepped inside. He curiously sniffed the air. “Did you light a candle?”
“I did.”
“You must have cleaned, too. Wow.”
Charlie stepped further into the apartment, his eyes widening at the sight.
“I don't think I've ever seen the actual carpet before. Has it always been this blue?”
Elias laughed. “I vacuumed, too. Can you believe it?”
“Hardly. And there's food!”
“Have a seat. I promise I cleaned the couch cushions as well.”
Charlie relaxed into the cushions, hungrily absorbing the sight of fresh takeout with his eyes.
He licked his lips. “You didn't have to go all out for me.”
“Yeah, I did. You deserve to have things done for you just for the sake of them being done.”
“That's nice of you to say.”
Elias lifted the remote and turned on the television, watching the main menu screen load for Rose Crusaders. He clicked on the first episode and watched as the screen faded to black before sitting next to Charlie.
He gestured to the food in front of them. “Dig in.”
“Don't mind if I do.”
As Charlie loaded up his plate, Elias patiently waited for a turn. Elias lifted a plate as Charlie finished and started piling on a mixture of rice, orange chicken, and lo mein. He set his plate on his lap as the first episode unfolded on the television screen.
“This one always gets me,” he commented as one of the knights plunged a spear into another. “The graphics are just so bad!”
“When did this come out?”
“The early nineties. They didn't have much in the way of CGI back then, but they did a great job with what they had.”
“And Theo recommended this? It seems bloodier than her usual choices.”
Elias chuckled lightly. “I think she was more absorbed with the plot than the blood. Is it bothering you? I can change it.”
“Nah, I think I like this better than anything Stanley would have chosen. He likes his trash TV.”
“Oh, gross.”
Charlie laughed. “You're telling me! I couldn't stand how predictable it was. He was all about those reality shows. He drank it all in like it was liquor.”
“I mean, to each his own, right?”
Charlie shrugged. “Annoyingly so, yes.”
“What if I told you I like a little trash TV every so often?”
“I mean, I wouldn't care, but I would be giving you a serious look of concern.”
Elias wiggled his eyebrows. “Is that so? Are you concerned about me often?”
“What if I said I was?”
“What if I said the feeling is mutual?”
Charlie's eyes shifted, twinkling in the light of the television that splashed his features with various colors.
“What if I said I want to kiss you?”
Elias bit his lower lip. He set down his plate without even looking, dropping his fork into his food without a care. He watched as Charlie did the same and then dove in, hungrier than ever—and not for Chinese takeout.
His skin was charged as he touched Charlie's shoulders, dragging his fingers lovingly down to Charlie's exposed arms. He trailed his fingers down to the hem of Charlie's shirt and lifted it slowly to expose Charlie's toned torso. He revealed the rest of Charlie's slim frame as his fingers rose higher, lifting the shirt from Charlie's arms in a swift and desirous motion.
Elias engaged Charlie's lips, achingly tracing Charlie's mouth with his tongue. He guided Charlie back on the couch with each motion and delighted in the soft utterances that came from Charlie after every touch. As he swept his hand over the skin of Charlie's stomach, he felt Charlie buck. He grinned through a kiss as he paused at Charlie's belt.
“May I?” he whispered, almost growling.
Charlie nodded eagerly. “Please.”
Elias plunged beneath Charlie's jeans, becko
ning Charlie's cock to grow rigid. He stroked fervently, rhythmically, while Charlie reciprocated his motions.
Charlie avidly stroked Elias's cock, prompting Elias to breathe heavily. While he coated Elias's shaft with his attentive fingers, his lips doubled their effort, stealing all of Elias's attention. He squirmed when Elias reached the tip of his cock. With bated breath, he seized Elias's cock, massaging it frantically as his hips rocked forward.
Elias never strayed. His hand remained focused on Charlie's cock, inspiring Charlie into a fit of shivers. He kneaded with longing as his lips searched Charlie's neck. He was eager to find a place for his lips. Although Charlie's mouth was enough, he found himself hungry to leave marks, to decorate Charlie's neck with affection.
While he glided down to Charlie's collarbone, he urgently spread Charlie's legs with his knee, shimmying in between. He sank south without hesitation. Charlie receptively rested a hand on the back of Elias’s neck as he pried open Charlie's jeans to provide him space to work.
He licked the head of Charlie's cock. He darted instantly down Charlie's shaft, his ears prickling every time Charlie erupted with encouraging moans. He parted his lips wide as he swallowed Charlie's head and subsequently Charlie's shaft, engulfing Charlie's cock entirely. He coated every inch with feverish sucks that goaded Charlie to buck more frequently.
After surfacing briefly, he returned to his work, applying his hand to the base of Charlie's shaft. He sucked dutifully, noting the vibration echoing from his lips to Charlie's cock. With every stroke of his tongue came more gratifying moans. The sound of Charlie in the throes of ecstasy only prompted his lips to triple their energy.
He glanced affectionately north to imbibe Charlie's features. The television illuminated Charlie's face, those loving lips parted wide to release new sounds of encouragement. He studied Charlie's cheeks and Charlie's fluttering eyelids, noticing how Charlie struggled to keep a steady gaze. Once Charlie glanced at him, he surfaced with a smile, wiping his lips.
“Oh, don't stop,” Charlie begged through a gruff whisper. He pressed gently on Elias's neck. “That feels good.”
Elias returned his lips, eager to please. He sank fast and rose slow, dragging his lips reverently over every inch of Charlie's cock. He watched gleefully as Charlie's features distorted. Charlie's cock twitched in rhythmic intervals while Elias's hands and mouth continued their work. Elias hummed hungrily and pumped harder.