Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 16:09:14 -0800 (PST) From: T. Chase McPhee Subject: OLuFsEN & SONs 03 The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, in towns, cities, countries, nor governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then you should not read this story. Additionally, if you are under 18 years of age, in most state and countries, you are not allowed to read this story, by law. Check with your local laws regarding such. % Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection. % OLuFsEN & SONs 03 wriTten by T. Chase McPhee % The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, in towns, cities, countries, nor governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then you should not read this story. Additionally, if you are under 18 years of age, in most state and countries, you are not allowed to read this story, by law. Check with your local laws regarding such. % Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection. % OLuFsEN & SONs 05 wriTten by T. Chase McPhee % "C'mon guys," Erik woke up the troops. "Last three days of loafing and it's back to the grind." "O-o-o-o-oh da-a-a-a-ad," the two sleepyheads complained, yawning. "Can't we sleep in?" Jason requests. Their dad replies, "Yes, starting tomorrow!" The two boys whined and groaned but slowly tumbled out of bed. In their shorty PJ's their dad marched them off to their private jon. More geared to the younger set, the shower curtain was flavored with Spiderman, the web taking up the whole rectangle. Like a smaller version of the outside kiddie pool, Erik drew the water out of the faucet. Stripping off their PJ's, Jason and Zach waded in. "Dad, it's too cold!" Zach complained, the two making a quick exit. "Sorry guys." "Hey dad, I smell something." Like Zach, Jason sniffed the air. "It's bacon and eggs," Erik replied to his boys. "Nick was too wasted to drive home and..." First came the excited screams. When he turned from the hot water the two boys were gone. He sighed, turning the faucets off. He giggled, hearing the two yelling Nick's name. Then he heard Nick yell, "What are you two hooligans doing down here without any clothes on?" Erik laughed out loud. Through the door came Jason and Zach, Nick corraling them onward. "Missing two swimmers?" he asked Erik. "Just two," Erik said. Still staring at Nick, he noticed the apron. Nick had pants on but the shirt was missing. "Too hot in the kitchen, Nick?" Nick giggled. "No. Believe it or not I can't find my shirt from last night!" Erik smiled back. "Well if you check out my closet I'm sure you'll find something that'll fit." Nick pretty much felt the same. He stood only about an inch short of Erik's six feet, two inch height. As the far as the anatomy, Erik maintained a taut 6-pack while Nick sported a more pudgy frame. "But why don't I give you a hand before I go fetch one?" Up for it, Erik didn't complain when Nick removed the apron. Funny how Erik always preferred smooth men, but after seeing more of Nick's bod, hair from neck to navel and beyond, the hirsuite look was growing on him. "Yeah, c'mon in Nick!" Zach yelled. "I don't think there's room for three," Nick gave his opinion. "I think I'll check out breakfast," Erik volunteered when a splashing match broke out. He wasn't worried, the room being sealed watertight on purpose. A half hour later the boys came running downstairs, Nick behind. He was carrying a wad of towels, a bath mat and a bundle of sheets. "Oh Nick you didn't have to do that!" Erik said. "No problem. Everything's wet. Can't leave it hanging around for long before mold sets in." "Hey! Guess what dad?" "I can't begin to," Erik replied, smiling at Jason's excitement. Jason responded, "Nick taught us how to make our beds!" "Wonders never cease," Erik replied, almost yelling it so Nick would hear him say it in the laundry room. "But guess what else?" Zach asks in a more depressing manner. "What?" "Nick made us sop up all the water!" "What a meanie that Nick is," Erik joked again, standing there at the stove, munching on bits of bacon. "Owwwwwch!" He shouted out. Nick stood there laughing, the boys howling as Nick twisted up the wet towel. Erik complained as a hand rubbed his ass, "You got my pants all wet!" Then Nick started it off, "Get off it Erik. You're covering up peeing in your pants!" It was the match which started the barrage of firing away, the boys sing-songing, "Dad peed in his pants... Dad peed in his pants!" He took it in good stride, but left Nick with the thought as he headed upstairs, "I owe you one!" By the time he returned the kids were fed, Nick heating up the bacon, whistling a happy tune. "Where's the boys?" "Chilling out in front of the TV." "So, are you leaving for class soon?" Erik asks as he parks his ass in a chair. "What are you trying to get rid of me?" "Farthest thing from my mind, Nick!" Their eyes locked, each casting a smile to the other. Nick, frying pan in hand dictates, "What, do I look like the maid? Get your ass off the chair and get some plates!" "Actually Nick, you do look kind of cute in the skirt," Erik says of the apron. "Oh, so you got your dig in, so it evens us up!" he tells Erik. "Could be," Erik says, suggesting, "unless you want to kiss and make up?" "Could be an adventure," Nick replied as he replaced the frying pan on the burner. Erik sort of froze. "Well? Are you going to make good on your offer or leave me hanging?" Nick badgered him. Feeling in a crazy mood after the late night pool party, Erik sashayed over to Nick. Nick puckered up, his lips protruding from the body of his face, expecting a little henpeck. To his surprise, Erik slid an arm around him, cupping his hand to the back of Nick's neck. Erik started it and Nick couldn't help himself. Before too long Erik had untied the perfect bow in the small of Nick's back, sliding the apron off of Nick's shoulders. His lips wandered south, licking at Nick's left nip. He stopped a moment, realizing this a first; making lip-love to a ringed nip! "Ooooooh," Nick sighed long and hard, dropping his head back. Returning north, Erik finished off with another hard liplock, Nick returning the innocent affection. "Holy cow! Come quick Zach! Dad and Nick are gettin' it on!" "Gettin' it on?" Erik questioned his son's verbal behavior. "Where did you pick that up?" Zach, who showed finally, recalling from the pool party, "Nick said it when the guy with the tattoo was all over the guy with the metal thingee on his thingee!" Erik didn't recall hearing or seeing the PA. "'All over the guy', huh? Suppose you picked that up from Nick too, huh?" "Nope," Jason replied. "The guy with no hair on his balls yelled it out to the guy laying on the other guy, telling him there were kids here and to mind his manners." Erik rolled his eyes saying of Jason's reply, "At least he got the anatomy right." Ordered to turn the Tv off, Jason and Zach got a talking to about last nights wild pool party as Nick and Erik lectured over bacon and eggs. Jason and Zach swore they wouldn't tell a soul! "I'll get that," Erik offered when Nick started clearing the table. "Nonsense," Nick replied. "The boys can do it!" "Ni-i-i-ick!" came the screeching response from Jason and Zach. Jason replies, "You're supposed to be our friend!" "I am Jase. That's why I'm making you do it!" "Jase?" Zach questions Nick's nick for Jason. "Sure," Nick replies. "Everybody's got a nickname." "What's yours?" Erik asks Nick. "Nick. My real name is Nicholas." "What's my nickname?" Zach asks. "Zach, isn't it?" Nick questions Zach as well as Erik. "Nope," Zach replies. "My name is Zach." Nick seeks info, "Not Zachary or Zacharias or?" "Nope," Erik replies to Nick's guessing game. "His name is plain old Zach." Then in a whisper directs at Nick, "Get out of this one Mr. Smartypants!" Pulling a chair out, Nick sits. "Okay. So how do you spell Zach, Zach?" "Um, Z..." Zach had to think a minute, rolling his eyes up towards his brain, "a... ch." "Okay. So no problem," Nick solves it. "From now on you spell it Z-a-c-k!" He returned the chair to it's tabled garage. The boys thought it so so cool! Nick turns to Erik to say, "So I lost track. Who owes who what?" he said of the getting even. "Shall we kiss and make up again and wipe the slate clean?" Being in a mischevious manner Nick wasn't ready to wipe away the statistics by means of getting even. Right in front of the boys he grabs the back of Erik's neck and smashes their lips together. "Holy cow!" Jase remarks, Zack exclaiming, "They're all over each other again!" It could only result in Erik and Nick laughing their asses off, warning the boys they better be careful with how they talk! Watching Tv, the kids abandoned Nick and their dad, still loitering in the kitchen. "You know you're a hot kisser?" "Am I now?" Erik returns the volley. "I just wonder." "Wonder what, Nick?" "Are you as good in bed?" Erik choked on his coffee. Nick pounded on his back. "I'm okay... I'm okay," he inhaled and exhaled. Handing Erik five paper towels off of the roll, Nick says, "Clean yourself up." "Extravagant with my paper towels are we?" "Shut up," Nick quipped. "Like you can't afford it Mr. Moneybags?" "Oh now that hurt Nick." "Where? The balls or ass?" "Just don't get any ideas Nick. I'm strictly a top." "Oh well then things would never work out in bed then Erik." It then dawned on Erik, "Nick, are you trying to get into my pants?" "Hell, it would be a lot easier without the pants!" Nick started off the laughing, Erik joining in. They laughed until their eyes met, the sound diminishing rapidly. It left them in a blind stupor, looking deeply into each others eyes. Boldly Nick says, "Maybe Gef can take the boys to the movies tonight so I can probe around in your pants?" It could have been funny if the two were in the mood for laughing, but their eyes still locked in place. Erik uttered in a monotone, "A possibility." It then became a revelation. Pointing the finger, Erik put two and two together. "Your Gef's `other half'!" "Gef's other half? Explain yourself there matey." "The ring on your left nip. You're the guy Gef was dating. The one with the nip ring pact." "Yep. Um, did you like the taste?" "I have to admit Nick, it's the first time I ever sucked on a nip ring attached to a nip. Rather..." Nick detoured Erik with haste, saying, "So, around seven?" "Around seven what?" "Our date upstairs in your bed. What did you think I meant, Mr. Pinhead?" "Moving kind of fast aren't you Nick?" "You betcha!" Fast or faster, Erik settles the debate, "Then seven it is." "Cool. I've got to get myself together. Today the `master chef' is handing out critiques on the catering service yesterday. I wonder if I passed?" "If not, you tell Mr. Chefman that `no A' means `no dinero'!" "That oughta get his balls all twisted up in a dither," Nick jokes. "Well if that doesn't work, offer him a blowjob." "Get real Erik. This mouth doesn't come in contact with a man's lower anatomy." "Is that so?" Erik asked, which left the issue hanging. Puttering around the kitchen, it was Erik's turn to whistle. However he wasn't as adept as Nick, doing dumb things. "Ooops!" he said when he forgot to wring out the sponge, wetting the front of his pants. "Not again! You peed in your pants, Erik?" "Shut up Nick! You left the sponge soaked didn't you, knowing I would pick it up?" He didn't, but lied and said, "Yup and you fell for it just like a pinhead would! And oh, by the way, my kit is missing two knives. Have you seen them?" "Two knives, huh? Maybe. What did they look like?" Opening the finely crafted wooden box, Nick points out the rosewood handles. Picking one out he describes the fine steel blade. He further explained how when he entered cooking school, his mom and dad had saved up two paychecks to pay for them, a big expenditure as well as sacrifice for them and the family. "Yes!" Erik recalls. "I think I saw them in the dishwasher." "The what?" Nick said in horror. "Yeah. I saw them on the table outside. They looked dirty so I slipped them in right before the second cycle. Here they are." "Anh!" Nick let out a sigh, looking at the rosewood handles, corroded. "But... they're not supposed to be put.. in the dishwasher. Oh my God! They're ruined!" Erik suddenly shared in Nick's loss, especially after the story just rendered. "Oh Nick I'm so, so sorry." Tears actually started to form in Nick's eyes as he looked upon the funny-white stained handles. But he lied saying, "No problem," slipping them into the wooden casement, the two white-hued handles sticking out like sore thumbs. Erik thought he heard a sniffle. "I... I've gotta go." Seconds later Jase and Zack wander into the kitchen. "You and Nick break up already dad?" Jase asks. "Um, what?" Erik replied. "You and Nick," Zack picked up the interrogation. "You're not hunnies anymore?" Jase asks, "Did you and Nick have a fight?" "Because Nick was so sad when he left," Zack finished out. As an explanation, Erik snapped his fingers, announcing, "Go get your clothes on. We're going shopping!" The boys were never up the stairs faster. In their eyes, `shopping' meant `toys'! They beat their dad to the front door. "What took ya dad?" Jase badgered. "He's prob'bly still sad about making Nick mad at him," Zack guessed. "And how," their dad agreed. All the way to the mall, Erik spent much time trying to convince the boys they weren't shopping for toys. "We're going to Stilton-Winona and Stilton-Winona only, to buy Nick a present. "Cool!" Another hip word they picked up at the pool party, the two uttering it. "Can I buy Nick a gift too?" Jase asks. "Me too!" Zack jumps in with. "We'll see," their dad says, which for the boys could go either way. "Hey dad?" "Yes, Zack?" "Are you buying Nick a present because you want to make him happy because you made him sad?" Before answering, Jase poses the question, "Dad are you and Nick still in love?" If he thought Nick was rushing things, the kids were pushing it to the limits. "Nick and I are `not' in love." Jase spoke up for both, "You should be because we are." Erik smiled. Over the past two days the boys have been growing quite fond of Nick. Realizing it now he has too! "Nick is a very nice man." "Man?" Jase says with doubt. "Nick's almost a kid." "Yeah dad. He's not old like you!" It made Erik grin. Sure Nick was seven years younger, but at twenty-nine Erik wasn't feeling old age creeping up on him by a long shot. To detour their young minds, he asks, "So what do you think you want to buy Nick?" Zack says, "How about a Spiderman pillow?" "They don't have Spiderman pillows at Stilton-Winona, Zack!" "Hey, we're here!" Jase suddenly announces. "Careful now boys. Wait for me. There's lots of cars in the parking lot." As usual they let there dad exit first. Then leashed to dad's hands, they made their way to the mall entrance. Seeing the mall quite active, Erik warned, "Now stick by me boys. I don't wish to spend half a day trying to hunt you two down." He smiled when both his hands felt an extra grip. He figured probably it would not be only his own blood pressure rising if the three were separated. Suddenly, Zack stepped in front of him, his left arm crossing his torso, Jase pulling to the right, causing Erik to detour east. He shook his head as he faced a storefront window displaying action heroes, the boys' attention grabbed by the red and blue flashy colors. "Can we go see dad?" Ten year old Jase instigated the pestering. "Yeah, can we dad?" Zack added the followup of banter. "We came here for Nick, remember?" "Oh yeah," the two said solemnly. Erik broke down, comprimisng, "Well maybe after we shop for Nick?" "Yay!" the high-pitched voices bounced off the mall ceiling. The only one paying attention to looking for the Stilton-Winona store, Erik made sure he kept up on keeping the boys under the power of the grasp of his hands, their faces turning to left or right. He smiled a toothy grin when Zack commented, "Hey dad look! That lady has her head cut off!" "It's a dummy, dummy," Jase explained. Erik thought of correcting him, educating both in the proper word for a lifeless model, a mannequin but it didn't really matter. Next store up, on the left their dad's eyes targeted their destination. He literally had to pull hands to get the boys past the mid-mall concession of giant pretzels and custard, which they feasted their eyes on until the entrance to the Stilton-Winona store. But right away something else grabbed their attention. "Oh cool! Look at this dad!" Jase said excitedly. Zack says, "I bet Nick would `really' `love' this!" "Betcha," Erik responded, rolling his eyes. He didn't say it, but allowed each to pick up a pack of the Spiderman cake decorating kits. As was the protocol if shopping in an open, small store Erik would loosen the reins and allow the boys to walk freely. "Now don't touch anything that's glass or pick up anything sharp. And don't open any cookies or anything to eat." Jase blurts out, "Dad, we're not pinheads you know?" "Yeah, dad," Zack confirms Jase's opinion. "Hmm," he just commented, amazed at how big their vocabulary has grown since last night. "Need some help?" Not a sexist or anything pertaining to discriminating, but Erik did suppose it would be a woman employee confronting him with wanting to help. He smiled, thinking this young guy could certainly help him out in more ways than one! "Um, yes. I'm looking for a cutlery set?" "Lots of knives? A few? Moderately priced? What's your pleasure?" If the guy only knew! "Um, lets say `quality'?" Erik followed the swaying hips to the back of the store. Like he warned the boys about paying attention he came within seconds of not catching a plate roll off a tiny easel as he brushed by it. "Whew! That was close!" "Sure was," his guide responded. "The plate is eighty bucks!" "I don't suppose you carry Elmer's glue?" Erik joked, surprised the guy actually thought it was funny. "Yeah. We should right? Especially when kids are let loose in the store. Take for instance those two over there." Erik followed the direction of the guy's thumb, which sent his attention in direction of Jase and Zack. He played dumb, smiling. "Yeah? What about them?" "Betcha before their mom gets out of the store she's going to be owing us a bundle and going home with a place setting of broken china!" Laughing along, Erik still didn't divulge his secret information. "However. If you'll excuse me a moment I'll try to save her a few bucks." In his opinion the guy seemed harmless, caring enough to think of the patron and not make the day's daily figures off of broken china sales. So he stood from afar to watch the interaction. He had wished he were a little closer for when the guy squatted down to the boys' level, his shirt hiked up and his pants stretched over his torso, a gap opening up. When the guy stood up he switched his gaze to the boys. As if chatting with Nick, Jase and Zack stood there perfectly still as they were lectured. Brushing his hands together like they were sandy, the guy returned. "There that didn't take long?" "Oh, so I suppose you got your message across? I mean from here it doesn't look like you brought them to tears." "Tears? Heck no. Yelling at a person is not a way to communicate effectively. By going that route it only upsets the person you're talking to and puts yourself on edge." "Right," Erik agreed to the twenty-something guy's logic. "Now let me stop wasting your time and get down to business here." He turned to face the glass cases housing the knife sets then twirled around to say, "Oh sorry. I'm forgetting my manners here. The name's Joaquin Peixoto." "Yes. I saw your badge." "Oh yeah," Joaquin said, looking down at the left side of his chest. "Well," he prompted the delayed reaction of shaking hands. Nice to meet you." "Same here," Erik replied with a smile. "And you would be?" "Oh! Oh yeah... sorry `bout that. I'm Erik Olufsen." "Erik Olufsen?" Joaquin searched thin air for a connection. "Why is that name so familiar to me? You don't happen to go to the Christian Community Church, do you?" Ready to say `eek', Erik contained himself from making an instant enemy of Joaquin, not an immediate reaction but could be if the straight-laced Christian ever found out he was gay! "Um, no." When Joaquin's ideas dried up Erik offered, "Cover of Time? Forbes? Either of them ring a bell?" "Well sure," Joaquin then drew up the correlation. "Why didn't I think of it in the first place, since I'm a business major? Dah!" he put himself down. Instead of elaborating on Joaquin's downer about himself, Erik dwells on, "Business major, eh?" "Yeah but don't worry. I'm not going to hit you up for a job. I bet you get that from a lot of people you meet." "Some," Erik replied as Joaquin turned to unlock the far right cabinet. Right out, Erik knew it wasn't anything near what he was looking for. "Um, got something better?" "Let me give you a tip, Mr. Olufsen..." "Erik, please." "Erik. The cabinet is arranged so when you enter the aisle the most expensive come first. Which I don't condemn the idea because it's a great marketing technique as far as the company is concerned. You can't knock a guy down for a surefire idea." "True," Erik replied. But then he moved farther in the opposite direction, stating, "How about this set?" Joaquin gulped. It wasn't often somebody came in off the street and pointed to the most expensive set of knives in the store without looking over the competition. "Not meaning to insult you or anything Mr. Olufsen..." "Erik," Erik reminded him. "Okay, but that's a three thousand dollar set of knives you're looking at!" "Well first of all. I don't find it insulting. Secondly I admire you for putting your honesty above the almighty dollar. Thirdly, in your own opinion would this be considered by a chef as an item of quality?" Joaquin stood flattered by Erik so stating, "Thanks. Not many people actually ask for my opinion. They go by the price, thinking the most expensive is the best." "Oh so there's a cheaper set of better quality?" "No. This is the best and `yes' I do believe a chef would be thrilled to be working with such a fine quality set of knives." Pausing, the two briefly exchanged glances. "Great. In that case I'll take it." "Hey dad! Quick! Come over here. We found something for your hunnie!" Zack yelled. "Yeah. Nick's gonna love having this, dad. You gotta see it!" Of course Erik's secret was out in the open, but it was Joaquin who stood there with egg of his face. "Oops! I take it those are your sons?" "Right. I probably should have mentioned that." "Nah. It's okay." "Don't worry," Erik said with a grin, "I'm still taking a set of those knives." "Cool!" Joaquin replied. "But I better go take a look before the boys start hauling whatever it is they found over to this corner of the store." "I'm right behind you," Joaquin replied. He didn't see Erik smiling, but Erik thought of the implications. Little did Erik know what evil things were churning away in the twenty year old's mind! "See dad?" "Nick would love this!" Zack helped promote the idea his brother presented. At this point Joaquin was trying to put the pieces together, drawing his own conclusions with the knowledge of this `Nick' fellow. "Isn't it pretty, dad?" "That it is," Erik replied as he looked over the red Kitchen Aid mixer. Finally Joaquin was able to divert his thoughts as he added, "And red happens to be one of the popular colors in the kitchen nowadays." >From squatting down, Erik looked up at Joaquin and with a smile asks, "Is it now?" Knowing Erik was patronizing him, Joaquin crossed his arms midway up his bod and spat out, "No! I'm just trying to enhance the item with a phony sales pitch so you'll buy it! What do you think I am? A pinhead?" "Hey!" Jase exclaimed. "So is our dad!" When he got a look from his dad, he changed his tune, "Sometimes... um really not much at all!" It got him off the hook. Sidetracking the conversation, Zack asks, "I think Nick would `really' `love' having this dad." Standing, Erik slapped his palms together saying, "I think he would." Then turning he adds, "Want to order us up one, Joaquin?" "Right away, `Erik'." The boys were no fools, especially after witnessing the interplay between gay couples last night at the swim party. "I thought you loved Nick, dad?" Zack innocently asks. "I do. I mean I like Nick." "I thought you `loved' Nick," Jason asks. "No," Erik began to set the record straight, "'you two' said `I' loved him." Then like a philosopher Zack says, "Can't you love him dad so we can have him around all the time?" "Yeah dad. Nick is fun," Jason helped reinforce the issue. Saving grace. The return of Joaquin! "I've collected the two items for you at the desk. Will there be anything else?" "Hey! Hey! C'mere Zack!" Zack reported to where Jase looked over some square gadget. "Ice cream?" Zack replied as his finger traced along the word on the little placard sign. "No," Joaquin took the helm, flaunting skin between shirt and pants, but this time giving Erik a closer viewpoint. "This machine `makes' ice cream." "Cool dad," Zack derailed his train of thought. "Wouldn't it be cool if Nick could make ice cream for us?" "Yeah," Jase agreed. "Just think of all the money you could save!" By this time the almost empty store had two other employees in on the shopping action. The two woman smiled each time the boys said something comical. "Alright. We'll take one Joaquin." "Coming right up." "What about us?" Jase asks his dad. "What about us?" Erik replies. Zack, on almost the same wavelength as his brother says, "Think of the convesients it would be if Nick could make ice cream for us at our house!" "Yeah dad. Can we get one?" The two begged, "Please?" Erik loved it when the boys acted like this. He figured you only lived once, so instructed Joaquin to double up on the Cusinart item, not paying attention a bit to the nearly three hundred dollar price tag. He didn't have to. With a six digit salary it was a simple write off from his online checking account. "Okay Joaquin. Wrap up another one." But then something caught Erik's eye as he looked over the ice cream maker to the table of china in the near distance. Walking over he said to the boys, "Nice blue, huh?" "Yeah dad," Jase replied, the two heading off in another direction, Zack commenting, "Boring!" At this point one of the other salespersons came over to assist. She opened with, "Delicate blue motif, but rugged enough for the dishwasher." Erik thought she was pretty rugged, sporting the butch haircut! "Frankly sir, this blue-banded place setting is not one our more popular sells, but in my opinion I'd choose it over some of these others, regarding the esthetic qualities." "I agree," Erik replied. "I kind of dig the light blue rings." "So would you care for me to wrap up three place settings for you and your boys?" Erik thought her to be pushy, but `nice pushy'. Same time he began calculating what if Nick had decided to join his family trio for dinner some evening. Then other thoughts began to filter through. He turned up his nose like he smelled something bad, saying, "Hmm." "You've changed your mind?" she uttered. "No actually. What I'm thinking is I'm kind of sick at looking at the same old dishes whenever we have guests," he hadn't picked the pattern out in the first place, "I think we can make do with fifty place settings?" The woman's eyes almost exploded from their sockets. Yet she wasn't totally surprised after witnessing Erik's casualness at the choice of the hundred dollar a place setting, especially after having Joaquin pile up thirty-seven hundred dollars worth of goods at the sales counter. At this moment a gentleman approached them. "Good morning, Sir, or is it afternoon?" After checking his watch, "Good afternoon sir. I happen to be in the area and couldn't help overhearing your artistic appraisal of this item." "In the area?" Erik questioned, not sure if he meant the store or the mall, the city, county, country or universe! The woman broke in to introduce, "This is Mr. Pinto, the region manager for our store." Taking over rather agressively, Pinto extended his hand saying, "My friends call me Rex." "Erik," Erik replied. "Olufsen." Already checking Erik out, Pinto had canvassed the blond features, blue eyes and height as that of a Norseman. "The Netherlands I presume?" "A few generations ago." Unlike Joaquin, the thirty-esh Harry Potter look-a-like well knew whom he was speaking to. "And how's business?" "Doing very well," Erik got the message instantly of Pinto's knowledge. "How about yourself?" "Well today I can say entirely well!" At first Erik wasn't too keen on Pinto's introduction, but when those pearly whites became one of the main features of the Potteresque resemblance he couldn't help himself and flashed his own smile. Getting back to his business, but also to see just how accomodating Pinto was willing to get he tested him, "So... How soon do you think you could have fifty place settings of this pattern delivered?" Just then they heard a big crash. "The boys!" Erik cried out in a fearful voice. Money didn't matter but little boys' welfare did. He didn't bother with formalities but rather dashed off in the direction of the breaking glass. "Jason? Zack? Are you okay?" They both were staring at Joaquin, Zack on the verge of crying. Jase called out, "We're okay dad but..." Jase didn't have to complete his thoughts. Erik could see why Zack was upset. "Oh shit!" By this time Zack was a wreck, bawling his eyes out. Erik wasn't aware of it, but had often told the boys how to summon emergency help. Jase calls out at the top of his lungs, "Somebody call 911!" But help was already on the way. Management was paralyzed, except for the butch salesperson. "We've gotta do something or Joaquin isn't going to make it!" Erik, fearful of the truth had the same thoughts. If they didn't stop the blood gushing out of the slice across Joaquin's arm he would be history. "Stand back!" The woman grabbed Zack and Jase, encompassing them in her arms, drawing them out of harm's way. Looking around as if searching for something Erik resulted in removing his jacket. Balling it up he swept it across one of the oak tables. He didn't give a damn when hundreds of dollars of glassware and dinnerware crashed to the floor. "Oh no you don't!" Erik called out when Joaquin started to double over. Grabbing him around the waist, Erik lifted him up on the table, lying down on his back, putting his jacket under his head. Right away he saw one of the tools needed to help stop the bleeding. Reaching for Joaquin's tie, he stripped it from around his neck. "Need help?" the woman who took the boys away asked. She saw question in Erik's eyes so assured him, "The manager from the store across the way is minding the boys. They're safe with her." Little did Erik know she was talking about her partner. As Erik tore Joaquin's long sleeve shirt up to his shoulder, she asked, "I take it you know what you're doing?" "In my younger days I was a paramedic." She assured herself, along with whomever was listening, "Lucky for Joaqin. I'm Marion by the way." However she didn't harp on the introductions, rather unbuttoning more than a few of Joaquin's shirt buttons. "You're going to be alright. Erik here is a doctor," she exaggerated it. Paying little mind other than the comfort Marion administered to Joaquin. "You're going to be fine baby," she said to the salesclerk half her age. Doing her own search, she tumbled merchandise off the next table in order to free up some linen. She dabbed away at the perspiration about Joaquin's face and chest. "Oh shit!" she called out when she saw Joaquin's eyes flutter. "What?" Erik asked, drawing his attention away from tying Joaquin's tie around his arm, forming a tourniquet of sorts. "I... I think we're losing him!" Dread filled Marion's face, but for Erik he felt a knot was tied up in his stomach. But instead of panic, a collective feeling emanated from his being. Tearing open Joaquin's shirt completely he instructed Marion, "Here. Get this off." He was relieved Marion was keeping her cool as well. Putting his ear to Joaquin's lightly haired chest he listened. "We've still got a heartbeat." Then standing he asks, "Doesn't this mall have a medical office?" Marion put it, "Yeah and all they have is a snake bite first aid kit!" It came out more as a sarcastic complaint. "Shit," Erik cursed them out, "with hundreds of people shopping this mall everyday?" But Erik didn't let the issue get to him. Instead all he cared about was the blood exiting his arm, which had slowed considerably and the air inhaled and exhaling from his lungs. "I am so damned sorry I didn't get here earlier. How's he doing?" Erik looked up to see a uniformed guard hovering over himself and Joaquin. Marion filled him in, "If it wasn't for Erik here Joaquin would be history." "We're not out of the woods yet," Erik said, once again placing his ear to the lad's chest. Same time he noticed an increase of the flow of blood. "Damn it! I thought this was going to work!" Seeing Erik's predicament, trying to adjust Joaquin's tie the security guard says as he begins to remove the items about his security belt, "Traffic's got the whole area tied up. Who knows when an EMT will make it through." Right next to him, Erik watched as items were placed on the table opposite them. "Oops!" the officer said when items on the other side of the table crashed to the floor. Marion spoke up, "All that can be replaced. Joaquin can't!" "Right," the `badge' replied, this time throwing his baton and gun askew on the table, the noise seemingly deafening from glasses leaping off the table. "Here." In a turnaround decision Erik instructed, "Um..." "Demetri," Marion called out with an instant introduction. "Demetri," Erik grabbed his attention. "Yeah. What can I do?" Witnessing the two thrown together by happenstance, Marion would later recount the instaneous team effort between Demetri and Erik, key effort in keeping Joaquin stable. Without even asking, Demetri states, "I think he needs more ventillation." Straightforth he put his mouth over Joaquin's and pumped air from his mouth into Joaquin's lungs. Yeah, Erik did have a momentary thought of wishing it were him giving mouth-to-mouth but dashed away the thought as he tried keeping Demetri's belt tight around Joaquin's arm. But he did have some tender moments attributed to trying to administer calm, brushing his palm over the dark hair on his forearm. "How's he doing?" "Much better," Demetri replied. Their eyes locked for a moment. "How's his arm?" "It was a good move surrendering your utility belt. Bleeding has been reduced to a drip-drop," Erik replied. Now that Joaquin was much more stable the two lightened up a bit. "You're a hero you know?" Erik cracked a little smile responding, "And you're not?" to Demetri. He then asks, "Say, anywhere around here where we can get some water?" "Sure can." Thinking Demetri would be heading towards the sign pointing to `restrooms', he wondered why he headed towards the front of the store. Returning, Demetri toted a giant blue water bottle on his shoulder. "I didn't find anything to bring it in, so brought the whole fountain!" It's then the two turned to eye up the few glasses and pitchers remaining on the table along with Demetri's `riot' gear. "Oh." "No problem, Demetri. Here. Want to pour some of it on this cloth?" Rugged as he seemed, Erik thought of Demetri's nature as that of a kitten. "That enough?" "Plenty," Erik replied. "Um, see anything around here to cover him up? Blanket? Whatever?" Cracking his knuckles, Demetri eyed up the table cover sitting under two dozen glasses. "I've always wanted to try this." Erik rolled his eyes. "One second." Standing, Erik leaned down over Joaquin, his chest sheltering him from any fallout. He wasn't too confident Demetri could pull off the magical feat. "Oh well," Demetri said when standing there with the tablecover, the table vacant. "You win some, you lose some!" As Erik sat there, his hand over Joaquin's heart, he took Demetri's words to his own heart, with much hope this young man would pull through and not be counted among the `some' that lost, but one of the winners. With his other hand he brushed the black hair away from his tan forehead. "Keep fighting Joaquin. You have so much of life ahead of you." He then wiped under Joaquin's chin. At the neckline some fine hairs marked off the probability a more thicker mat developing over his pecs. He wiped around each pec then down his stomach. He paused above the navel. "Nice looking, huh?" A smile creased Erik's face. Demetri had just come out to him. It was his turn. Instead of a direct approach, using his recalling of Nick's hirsuite bod he said, "You know Demetri, I always thought I'd only like the smooth look but suddenly hairy guys turn me on?" With both of their cards out on the table, Erik finished swabbing down Joaquin's stomach to his beltline. Breaking out of his stupor, Demetri says, "Um, here Erik." Erik lifts up his hand as the security guard forms a blanket of warmth over Joaquin. And like tucking in a baby he presses the makeshift blanket between Joaquin's armpits. "Sure hope the kid makes it." "Kid Demetri? You don't look like any grandfather to me!" Demetri smiled. Running through his mind is, `was Erik interested?' % Copyright 2008 T. Chase McPhee This story may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.