A Year in the Life

The Countdown Part 3

By Bix Meister

 

This is a story featuring gay men, and gay sex, intended for Adults, not Minors. It is fiction, and as such is not based on any actual people or events. It is a fantasy intended purely as a catalyst for pleasure. No attempts have been made to portray safe sex, but the author encourages you to practice it.

 

If this is your first trip to my series, I suggest you start at the beginning, Snowplow. You will get to know the characters.

 

If you enjoy it, consider donating to Nifty. If you have suggestions or feedback, contact me at bixmeister57@gmail.com

The Countdown Part 3

 

State of Grace

Rolf

Wow, nine days!

Thanks for the email response, I really didn't expect or deserve one. I think I am going to spend the day outside, working on the yard. It's about time I try to make this house a home just in case I have a special man over. Just to clarify things, you are the only man who has been inside my house. I guess that makes you special.

Well, I had better not overstay the welcome. Knowing you, you are probably out already making this world a better place.

Francis

Against his better judgement, Rolf had replied to yesterday's email.  Yesterday the Captain called him magisterial, today he was merely special. He considered responding, but wanted his words to be well thought out before he would send.

The morning sun was filtering through the church's stain glass windows. He would be picking up Drew at the airport in the afternoon. He had planned an afternoon of sightseeing, and dinner up the shore before dropping Drew off at Brent and Gino's place.

Rolf had still spent most of the previous day cleaning the church, and guest room just in case Drew needed to bunk there for an evening. He had given Francis his word that they would meet in 9 days, and deep in his heart he knew he had love for the Captain. However, his mind told him to keep his options open.

*********************

"Stop the truck."

I wasn't the type to "brake for yard sales" but something caught my eye. Pete and I were on our way to the Diner for breakfast, when I saw the glint of spectraflame paint. I guess Hot Wheel collecting was still in my blood. At first I was disappointed, since the cars the twenty-fifth anniversary Hot Wheels, and not the originals from the late 60's. There were one or two from the early 80's that were in good condition, so I held onto them while I was looking at the other items the old couple had.

"If you like them cars, I think I have some from the oldest son down in the basement. If you have a few minutes, I can dig them out." Considering what else they had on the table, I didn't get my hopes up, but the woman looked intent on helping me.

"It's been a slow day, Marge has been on my case about the basement, so anything we sell will help.  I was gonna give all the toys to the grandkids, but do you see any of them here helping us out? Hell, they are too busy playing video games to play with toy cars.

"Looky here" Pete said, holding up an old wrestling program. "Wanna see a pic of old Ivan in his prime?"

"Is that you? Damn, I remember you wrestling. You don't seem all the worse for wear unlike me, and I'm not that much older than you." He offered his hand. "My name's Lou by the way."

Pete shook his hand. "Yeah, it's me. Want me to autograph these so you can sell them for more?"

"Naw, just give me five dollars for the box and it's yours."

I had to smirk at how swiftly Lou deflated my husband's ego.

I then spied another remnant of my childhood, the photograph everyone in the area knew as "Grace." It was impossible growing up in Northern Minnesota without knowing someone who had the popular print, usually in the dining room of their house. When I was young I was convinced that the man was a long forgotten relative. His plaid woolen jacket, and silver beard made him almost timeless, and because the version I saw was colored, I never expected it was a black and white photograph taken in the early part of the century.

As popular and omnipresent it was, my family never had it, mainly because of the religious overtones.  Over the years I found out that the man who was in the photograph wasn't very religious, and the book he seemed to be praying to, was actually a dictionary. Suddenly there was irony in the photograph that appealed to me.

"So five dollars for the programs, how much for this?" I said, holding up the print.

"I had eight dollars on it, but how about 10 for the pair?"

"Sold" I said, pulling out my wallet.

"Aren't you gonna wait for the Matchbox cars?"

"I suppose I could. But I gotta leave some cash for breakfast."  I knew I had a more than enough, since I had been to the cash machine yesterday afternoon. But I needed bargaining power just in case. Who knows, it could be some old Matchbox, or possibly even a mint redline Hot Wheel. I had nothing to lose, waiting there on a beautiful spring morning.

Just then Marge returned. "I hope I didn't waste your time, because these look just like the ones I have on the table."

********************

"We already have enough stuff around the house, why do you need to stop at a garage sale?"

"Justin, you don't understand how important it is to me that I preserve the significant architecture our home. All of these homes in Morgan Park were originally for people who work in the U.S. Steel Mill. I keep looking around here for more clues as to what these homes looked like back when they were new."

Reluctantly Justin started to peruse the tables with Derek. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he didn't care since he was spending time with his lover. Then a framed print caught his eye. "Damn, Gramps has a hot beard. Is this how you're gonna look when we're together fifty years?"

"Whoa, that's "Grace." My mom had a copy of that on her dining room wall when we were young. We're getting that, I know just the place for it."

********************

"You know you could have gotten them for a lot cheaper than that. But it's worth it seeing the look on your face. You look like a kid in a candy store."

"Pete, I gave her twenty times what she asked for, and they are probably still worth ten times what I paid."

In all honesty I most likely did look like a kid in a candy store, or more correctly, a toy store. Marge had emerged from the basement with a box filled with Hot Wheels from the redline era. The cars were minty mint, with ten of them being in their original blister packs.

"How much do you want for the whole box?" I asked, wearing my enthusiasm on my sleeve.

"Ten dollars to take it off my hand?"

I counted out ten twenties and grabbed a business card from my wallet. "Here, take this, and if you find anymore, contact me."

"I can't take this. I quoted you ten, and that is what I'll take."

"Believe me, I'm happy to pay you this, and would gladly give you more if I had it with me. Like I said, if you find more give me a call."

I quickly looked through the box as we neared the Diner. I had added up the loot in my head and conservatively appraised them at $2,400. I almost felt guilty buying them for a fraction of that, but Marge kept on saying that I looked like someone who would appreciate them. I personally had no plans to sell them, especially after what Marge said.

********************

The Captain drove the perimeter of the Home Improvement store's parking lot. The one PT Cruiser that he could see, wasn't Rolf's, so he continued to the greenhouse. He was shopping blindly, not possessing a green thumb. However, between the information he gleaned from the plant's growing instructions, and the help of the greenhouse staff, he soon had his cart half-filled with annuals and perennials.

Truthfully he would have rather been doing this with Rolf, but that wasn't an option right now. The way that Kyle and Pete described it, Rolf had already dropped off pallets of material at their home, with more to come. The Captain was outside, looking over the flats of annuals when he saw a large roped off area filled with plants. From a distance he could see how their colors related. They looked natural, and very masculine.

As he got closer he saw the orange tag. "Save for Rolf to be picked up Monday May 22^nd."

"Damn, he's shopping with me after all" the Captain thought to himself. "I can't wait to show him what I've done."

*******************

I hope you're in no hurry to get anywhere" Rolf said, smiling at Drew.

"No, I'm at your whim." Drew smiled back. "By the way, that's quite a hug you gave me. It felt very welcoming."

"That's why we're taking the scenic route. Gotta roll out the red carpet for a friend." Rolf had taken the quickest route to the airport. However, he knew the trip home would be more meandering. You don't introduce a friend to your chosen home via the side streets, you give him the grand tour. He could easily have taken Drew directly to Skyline Parkway so he could see glimpses of Lake Superior's expanse, but Rolf knew of one vista that combined the grandeur of Lake Superior, with the sweep of Duluth's shoreline.

"This is a beautiful area. It almost reminds me of where my cabin is." Drew looked over to his friend. He had only known him for a short time, but he already considered him a friend. He noticed the sly smile on Rolf's face. "You're proud of Duluth, aren't you? I can see it in your smile."

Rolf continued to grin as Drew kept on talking. Drew was talkative, and could easily keep pace with Rolf who was uncharacteristically mum as Skyline Parkway crossed I-35.

"So where do you live?"

"WHOA!"

"That's it, that's the money shot" Rolf chuckled. "Now you see why we came this way. I never tire of seeing that view."

"I can see why..."

Drew's voice trailed off as Rolf started to act as tour guide. "Over there is the St. Louis River. Right down there is my home. I can pick it out, but you'd have to know what you're looking for."

"Duluth is different than I imagined. Look at all that water, and those bridges..."

The first one is the Bong Bridge, and the next one is the Blatnik, although we all refer to it as the High Bridge. This is the perfect town for a stoner bridge fanatic" Rolf laughed. "See that long strip of land and the bridge that connects it? That is Park Point, and the Aerial Lift Bridge."

As they drove down Thompson Hill, into West Duluth, Rolf continued to point out places of interest. "That pile of rock there? That is taconite which will be shipped out to become steel. Across the bay is the coal dock. If you had jumped a coal train in Montana, that is where you'd end up."

Rolf continued the tour, past the exit to the High Bridge, and towards Canal Park, and Park Point. The sidewalks of Park Point were filled with families celebrating UMD graduates. Rolf rolled down the windows because he noticed something happening that Drew needed to experience.

They were about eighth in line when the light started flashing and the bridge's gates went down. Rolf turned off the radio and killed the engine. The sound of a ship's air-horn blasted through the open windows. Cables creaked as the middle section of the Aerial Lift Bridge started to rise.

Off to the left the weathered bow of a salty loomed over the canal's pier. "That thing is never ending. It's like a block long" Drew said, awestruck.

"Several blocks long. We call this getting bridged. I used to live out on Park Point. It's a great place to live, but you never know when you're gonna get bridged."

"Hey, I got all the time in the world, and it is fun seeing this with a friend."

Rolf looked over at Drew. "I like that word. Friend." Secretly Rolf was relieved. There was a connection with Drew, but there wasn't a spark. What he had with the Captain was combustible. Rolf had an impulse, one he suddenly knew he had to follow. "I have the guest room ready. It could make things easier instead of having to pick you up and drop you off at Gino and Brent's daily. I do have to make one thing clear. Even though we have broken up, I'm trying to stay true to the man I love."

Drew winked. "Just because you're handsome, and sexy as hell, doesn't mean I'm gonna jump your bones. Right now I don't need the complications of a lover, but I never turn down the possibility of a good friendship"

The blast of the ship's horn and sound of the descending roadbed brought the men back to reality. As the gate raised, Rolf started the engine. They made the slight incline to the metal grate roadbed of the bridge. The slow speed on the bridge allowed Drew to see the piers leading to the outer harbor and Lake Superior beyond.

"Maybe later on this week we can take the Lake Walk, go out on those piers."

"I don't know what I was expecting, but this certainly wasn't it. I'm beginning to understand why you, Kyle and Brent love this area. I thought Kyle was an idiot to leave Chicago for Duluth, but now I can see why."

"Well, when you meet Pete you'll see that the move was worth it."

********************

"I'm glad the list we left, was shorter. Can you believe this? Leave it to my son to give us a plant watering schedule."

"Yeah I think you just gave him the directions for how to tend to the sauna. But you have to remember your son is a stickler for details. He is very anal about such things Pete. I mean we sweated through a few of his house inspections while remodeling the farm house."

Pete and I were about to cuddle on the couch, but the "ruff" at the back door stopped us cold. "It's our other son Echo. I wonder if he is done with his inspection of the backyard."

********************

Rolf pulled over and let the car idle. "That little bungalow there was mine, oh, let me see, about two, no three houses ago. Two gay men live there now. They are a bit political, and on the gay marriage bandwagon. Funny how things go. A few years back I thought they were bat shit crazy talking about gay marriage, and here I am, officiating a friend's ceremony in less than a week."

"I know. Frankly I'm fine with a Civil Union, if I ever had a relationship that warranted one. But if you asked me five years ago about either option being available, I would have thought you were bat shit crazy too."

******************** 

The Captain stood to admire his handiwork. He was glad he had seen the plants that Rolf had picked, because the end effort looked cohesive, almost natural. Even the rock he used for ground cover looked like it came from the former quarry in the hills less than a mile from his Denfeld neighborhood home.

He lifted the hem of his t-shirt to his brow, and wiped off the sweat. There was a beer or three waiting for him in the fridge, his reward for a job well done.

"Looking great my friend."

The Captain looked over his shoulders. "Micah, Mario, great seeing you. I was just about to grab a beer, wanna join me?"

Mario looked to Micah, who simply nodded. "Yeah why not, we have nothing planned for the afternoon."

"Follow me. We can either sit at the kitchen table, or on the chairs in the back yard."

"Why don't we bring them out here? You've got a perfect spot over there to sit and admire your work."

The Captain opened the door for his neighbors. "Welcome to my home, such as it is. The beer is in the fridge along with a pitcher of lemonade. Help yourself, I'll be right back. Gotta make room for the beer."

As he was pissing, FC realized this was one more step he needed to take to win Rolf back. His house had always been his private space, one that no coworker or friend had ever stepped foot in. But in the glimpses he had seen of Rolf's circle, he knew they were a sociable clan. He had caused enough pain trying to be Rolf's lover on the sly. He couldn't try to win him back being the same old reclusive Francis.

After he finished, he went to the sink to wash his hands. In the mirror he saw the dildo sitting on the corner of the tub. "Oh fuck, glad I spotted that."

There was a knock on the door. "Hey, we found the chairs" Micah said. "Join us when you're ready."

"I'll be out in a minute. Just have to clean this up a bit in case either of you need to use the facilities."

********************

"I can't believe they left the sling up. Just how are we gonna deal with this for the wedding?"

"I am happy they left it up. We can worry about how we'll deal with it later on in the week. Beside, today is a day for R&R so it's our chance to give that sling a workout."

Justin leaned back into Derek's arms. They were sweating it out on the top bench of the sauna, in the farthest corner from the door. Pete and Kyle occupied that space almost every other time they had been in the sauna, but Derek and Justin filled the slot with ease.

Derek's full beard snuggled against Justin's neck. "So you're hell bent on testing the sling huh?" Derek whispered. "Who's gonna occupy it? Wait, I've got an idea. Let's wrestle for it."

The sudden jerk of Justin's dick let Derek know his lover was in favor of the idea.

********************

"You'll have to join our gym" Mario said. "You've got a great body for a guy your age, I'll only have to tweak the workout a bit to take you to the next level. We'll give you the friends and family discount."

"Hey wait, if I join, I'll pay whatever the going rate is. I'm not the stereotypical cop who takes kickbacks. I pay for the occasional donut I eat, in more ways than one" the Captain said as he patted his gut.

"Your gut is fine" Micah said, hoping his words didn't belie his appreciation of the Captain's body. "We'll give you the early bird special then. The introductory rate is available to everyone. We want the word of mouth to get out. We feel that it is worth having a few cut-rate memberships. Of course this isn't the hard sell. We'd want you to check out the facilities when we open sometime in mid-July."

"In the meantime, if you're not doing anything tonight, why don't you join us at our house. Even though this is a cheat day, we can make up for the beers with the chicken we are planning for the grill."

"How can I pass up such a neighborly invitation. However, I need time to shower, what time do you expect me and what should I bring?"

"Any time after six is fine. We have the wine and beer covered so I think we're good to go."

********************

Drew leaned against Rolf's PT Cruiser as he talked on his cell phone. "Yeah I know; I haven't used the word awesome so much, in a long time. I totally understand why you love this area... Uh huh... Skyline Parkway is amazing, it's like a hidden gem... Yeah, we're pulled over by Hawk's Ridge." Drew put his hand over the phone. "That's where we are, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Hawk's Ridge. Tell them we're heading up Seven Bridges Road, and then taking Scenic Highway 61 up to Two Harbors." Rolf felt sudden regret knowing he was monopolizing Drew's time in Duluth. "While you are at it, why don't you invite them to join us for dinner at the pie shop. Tell them my treat."

"Why don't you meet us up in Two Harbors. We're having dinner at some pie shop up there. You guys must be familiar with it the way Rolf talks about it. Oh you're not far away? How long will it take you to get here? Okay, we'll wait. Thanks for being understanding Brent. It just works out better this way. Maybe I can stay at your place later on in the week."

Drew closed his phone, then put it back in his pocket. Rolf looked over at his friend. "Maybe I should have put more thought into it before I invited you to stay. I feel like an ass now."

"No they are fine with it. I told them it was a possibility when I called them last week. Although at the time I was secretly hoping it was for a different reason." Drew held his breath for a second, then exhaled. "Before you say anything I'm fine, I knew you have feelings for another man. And I can tell you still have them. I can only hope that someday, some guy will feel the same way about me."

********************

With Pete laid out on the living room sofa, cuddling with Echo and Putski, I checked out our room. It had the vintage feeling of a young man's bedroom circa the `70's. I remembered the night that Pete and I made love in it while Justin and Derek were across the hall rutting like horny teenagers.

I saw the Hot Wheels on the wall. Immediately I knew the final home for a few of my yard sale finds. The orange Beatnik Bandit was similar to one I already had, plus there had to be a few more that would work better in Derek's collection than mine.

I hurried down the steps, to the front door. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Trust me on this Pete." I ran to the truck and retrieved the two boxes of yard sale loot from the back seat.  Upon entering the house, I was met by Pete, Putski and Echo.

"You know I always trust you, just fill me in on what scheme you have now."

It's customary to give the best man a gift, I am just putting it together right now."

"You lived these Pete" I said, holding up the wrestling programs. "You got your Wall of Shame as a reminder. But you've seen the shrine he has to you in his office. This home is where they belong. And as for "Grace" I bet every family in Morgan Park had it in their dining room. He is so proud of the work he has done to give his home a vintage feel. This will only be icing on the cake."

"How on earth did this old guy, end up with such a loving partner?"

I smiled. "I wish one day you could see how young and loving you are to me. Then you would know the answer to that question. Until then, let's get something to eat."

********************

 The Captain couldn't get over the feeling he was experiencing as he walked to Micah and Mario's house. His heart was racing, adrenaline was pumping, and his stomach was doing flip-flops. He chalked it up to the beers he had earlier, but knew that wasn't the full story.

No, this was how he felt when he was experimenting with his gay side. It didn't matter if it was on a trip out of town where he could anonymously drop into a gay bar, or when he was searching for toys online, or like his most recent trip to Jeff's glory hole shack. He would have the same exact feelings, the same symptoms.

Yet this time it wasn't clandestine sex, or the possibility of it, that caused the reaction. He was just visiting two friends who happen to be gay, and sharing dinner with them, in their backyard. Yet, every thought, every sense was heightened. His heart beat faster; he could actually feel the adrenaline course through his system.

He could barely hold onto the bagged bottle of wine as he walked towards the steps to the front door.

"We're in the back yard, come through the gate" Mario yelled. Startled, the Captain lost control of the bag, quickly catching it with his other hand. As he steadied himself, and took the path to the gate. Francis thought "Damn, if I am such a mess joining friends for dinner, how will I ever be integrated into Rolf's life?"

********************

Drew looked at his friends around the table. "I'm glad you invited Martin along. It's like a live chat room isn't it Marty?" 

"Even better in the flesh though, isn't it?" Martin winked. "In all honesty, you're a bigger man than I expected, even with a screenname like ButteBeast. And speaking of that Butte, nice one isn't it Rolf? Oh to be a fly on your wall this next week..."

"You'd be pretty bored Marty. Drew and I had the talk. My life is too complicated right now between the landscaping I'll be doing, the wedding and some personal matters. Drew and I are definitely on the Friendship Train, not the Love Train."

"So no plans to ride the caboose?" Gino winked.

"Unless I run into someone else who revs my engine" Drew responded

********************

Half a glass of wine in, and the Captain's nerves were finally calmed. Though he was decades older, he soon found himself relating to Micah and Mario. They were truly proud of the progress they had made in a short time on their gym. And though they didn't make a hard sell, the Captain knew he would become a charter member.

However, the overriding feeling was one of friendship. Though he knew their relationship, and could sense their dynamics within that relationship, he stopped thinking of Micah and Mario as gay lovers, but just as his friends.

That is exactly what he would need if he was to pursue an honest, public relationship with Rolf. The love between the men was so obvious, and somehow comforting. He had seen the same thing in Pete and Kyle, and hell, even with Jeff and Fred.

Francis looked at the men while they were setting the table. He took a sip of wine and raised his glass. "Here's to our future, Rolf"

********************

"Do you think they will mind Derek?"

"You saw their list of rules. It was much shorter than mine. Obviously I don't take after dad in every way. But the bottom line said, "Everything is at your disposal. Have fun." I guess that includes his old wrestling trunks. And by the way, I've noticed that you haven't gone down since you tried on that singlet."

Derek pulled Justin into his arms as he looked at their reflection in the master bedroom mirror. Derek was wearing Ivan's hammer and sickle wrestling trunks, while Justin filled out the snug singlet he was wearing. His thick dick tented the front of the singlet, exposing his balls.

"You look so damn hot babe; I am not sure if I can last through round one of our bout without busting a nut all over that singlet. And even if we do wrestle, I might just give in early so you can fuck me in that sling.

"That was my plan fucker. Maybe we should make the loser be the top since we both want to be power bottoms tonight."

********************

"Damn WrestlinDad is hot for someone his age isn't he?"

"He is hot for any age. And it appears the feeling is mutual about you."

"Do you really think so Rolf?"

"He was the one who kept on making comments about your Butte. And let me tell you, he's right, you have a nice meaty ass. But so does the man I was dating."

"Are you ever gonna tell me about him? All I keep hearing are vague mentions. I know he is in the public eye, and now I know he has a nice ass, and that is about it."

"In due time. In due time." Rolf looked out toward the lake "Hey, look there. See that ship out there? That's a Salty, just like the one we saw coming into the harbor today."

"You mean that thing? It looks so small from a distance. I guess it is all about perspective."

"Yes it is, and in my perspective, you need to use my computer and sign onto your email account when we get back to my place. There's a certain wrestling coach who could use your phone number."

"I'm one step ahead of you, I slipped my number to him in the parking lot."

********************

"Give?"

"GIVE?"

"GIVE?"

Justin pinned Derek's shoulders to the mat. He was confident in his pin, but he had to hear it from Derek.

"I SAID GIVE?" he growled, a drop of sweat falling off his forehead onto his lover's tight gut.

"Yes I give, and what the hell has gotten into you?"

Justin sprung up, then yanked his taller lover off the mat. "It's what hasn't gotten into me lately. You've been a voracious bottom ever since we played with that married guy, and my ass needs this." Justin grabbed the thick dick that was tenting Derek's borrowed wrestling trunks.

"Oh my god, I have become a needy bottom haven't I? You feel so damn good in my ass; I've forgotten how much you like being fucked. How am I gonna be that 80-something silver-bearded man you were fantasizing about earlier today, if I can't keep you happy now?"

"In my dreams we'd start by you ripping this singlet off of me and fucking me silly in that sling. But, since the singlet isn't mine, you can gently remove it, and then fuck me silly in that sling.

"That's still your dreams talking Justin. C'mon. Follow me." Derek offered his hand, Justin grabbed it. "We don't need these bells and whistles; we won't always have them. Instead of leading him out of the workout room, Derek hugged his lover, then slowly slid the singlet off his body. He then hooked the waistband of the trunks, and shimmied out of them.

The two lovers were naked, stripped of their costumes. Derek leaned over and pulled Justin into a loving kiss. "C'mon" he said once again. "I know how I want to spend the night."

As they passed the shower, and then the sauna on the lower level, Justin was confused. "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll find out. Remember, by winning the match, you made me top for the night. It's my pick."

As they headed up the steps to the main floor Justin smiled. "I know. You are gonna fuck me on your father's bed. It's been a while. That's wicked."

"No, that belongs to my two Dad's now. It wouldn't be right. What I have planned is for us only, something I promise I've never done. Something only for you. C'mon, trust me."

As they reached the upper level of Kyle and Pete's chalet, Derek put his hand on the small of his lover's back, and guided him into the hall bathroom. "Start the shower. I'll be back in a minute."

Justin started the shower. As he stepped under, he shook his head. Certainly the shower couldn't be a unique place to make love. They had done it numerous times before.

Derek returned with two fluffy towels then opened the shower door. He grabbed the shower gel from the shelf and started to suds up his lover. In between, he would gently kiss Justin then lovingly apply more gel.

"Your turn" he said, handing the gel to Justin. Derek's entire being went limp while Justin started to wash his body. This wasn't at all what he expected, especially earlier when the two men were trying to best each other on the wrestling mat. He was awaiting a knockdown, drag out fuck to the end, but was faced with his lover standing there in the shower, his eyes closed, and Justin gently bathing him.

The bathroom's tile gave the lighting an amber glow. It highlighted Derek's musculature as the shower's spray washed away the suds. Justin noticed his lover's strength in his passivity. He suddenly got it.

"We're stripped away, aren't we?"

Derek opened his eyes, slowly nodded, then kissed his man like he had never before. "It's just us, it's not the clothes, my job, your job, our friends, nothing to define us. It's just us."

"Last week when we played with that guy, it was you that sent me over the edge, not him. We don't need all the trappings; we only need each other."

Derek bent to turn off the shower. Justin had to admire the ass that was perfect while performing such menial duties. Derek caught his lover's smile, but went on with his duties. He opened the shower door and grabbed the towels. He offered one to Justin, but used his, to towel Justin down.

Justin returned the favor, all the while wondering where their lovemaking trip was headed. "Stay here" Derek said. Justin caught his image in the bathroom mirror. After almost a month of turmoil about the man in the hotel, Justin was finally at peace.

Derek returned with the down comforter from the rear guest bedroom. "Follow me" he said, then draped the comforter over his shoulder. "I was going to take you out onto the balcony, but it has cooled considerably."

On the main floor Derek stopped in front of the fireplace, then folded the comforter once, and laid it down on the floor. He then knelt on the comforter, gesturing for Justin to join him.

From their vantage point Justin and Derek could see the star speckled, purple-blue darkness of the clear spring sky. "Just us" Justin said, then started to kiss his lover.

********************

Mario and Micah huddled closely under the blanket. Moments before they were washing dishes at the kitchen sink when Micah saw a greenish light dance in the northern sky. Though they said goodbye to their neighbor the Police Captain an hour earlier, they felt the need to be outside.

The Northern Lights were in full effect. Due to his wrestling career, it had been years since Mario had seen them and this was the first time they would share them together. "This is better than fireworks on the Fourth of July" Mario finally said. "Too bad the Captain isn't here to watch them with us."

"I know he is accepting, but do you think he could handle seeing the two of us like this?"

"Love is love. I hope for his sake he'd be okay with it."

********************

Derek laid Justin down on the comforter. Starting at his neck he nibbled and licked his way down his stocky lover's chest. Each nipple was tended to, causing shivers which consumed Justin's body. Derek went from one nipple to the next, alternately licking and tweaking them. Justin arched his back in response, sending more shivers over his spine.

Derek needed to be deep in his lover, so he continued the trip. His tongue made crisscross flicks over Justin's gut, creating a path through the copper colored fur. Justin's gut shook at the touch of his man's tongue, causing his hard dick to leak pre-cum on Derek's cheek.

Derek leaned back for a moment, then grabbed hold of his lover's rigid cock. "So beautiful, so perfect, so you, babe" he said, then swiftly went down on it. Involuntarily, Justin thrust his hips forward, sending this dick further down Derek's throat.

Justin hammered his arms down on the comforter. "TOO...FUCKING... SOON" he said, his hips thrusting with each word. With the last thrust, he unloaded in his lover's mouth.

Derek eased back onto his knees, and looked down on his spent lover. He slowly savored Justin's juice, frothing it in his mouth then smiled.

Raising Justin's legs with one hand, he brought his other hand to his mouth to capture some of the cum. "Nature's lube Justin. Cum and pre-cum." Derek looked deeply in Justin's eyes as he slicked his dick, then teased the upraised ass with the rest.

The two men were oblivious to nature's light show outside, as Derek gently eased his way into his lover's ass. They only had each other, no trappings, no toys, no fantasy. It was all they needed as Derek leaned in to kiss Justin as he lovingly fucked his ass. Justin responded by using all of his resources to milk his man's dick.

On the surface, it didn't take long for Derek to seed his man, but it was a moment they had been building toward for a long time.

They continued to kiss as Derek lowered the two of them. Justin maneuvered himself, enabling Derek to hold him as they spooned, still interlocked. It was then that the men saw the far western edge of the Northern Lights, then fell asleep.

*********************

The pickup exited Jay Cooke State Park moments before it was set to close. He had pushed the envelope tonight when he lost track of time due to the night sky. Luckily he wasn't the only Duluthian out viewing the Aurora Borealis. No one paid any attention to him or his pickup as he started to drive down Grand Avenue.

The lightshow continued as he drove towards it. They silhouetted familiar West Duluth landmarks. As he got close to Denfeld High School, he saw the clock tower. A block away, a crowd stood in the parking lot, sharing the experience.

One man left the group, huddled his shoulders against the cool night air, and started to walk west. He looked familiar. "Could it be?" the driver thought. "Nah" he said to himself.

The Captain walked home, catching glimpses in the night sky. It had been an almost perfect day even without Rolf. But the Captain knew Rolf was with him the entire day. From the moment he sent his email, through the trip to the greenhouse, as he worked on his landscape, and finally, as he was entertained by a couple who embodied everything he wanted in his relationship with Rolf.

Most of all, Rolf was there in the Northern Lights. The light through Rolf's stained glass windows often recalled the Northern Lights. Rolf even had a photograph of them by his office desk.

As he passed a house a block down from his own he saw something that cemented his resolve to be with Rolf years down the line. He had seen the photograph "Grace" thousands of times before. Due to his position on the police force he had sometimes seen it in situations that clearly lacked grace. However, now he saw it in a different light. He simply saw a humble, bearded man looking for light in the darkness. He knew who that man was.

********************