Date: Sun, 06 Apr 2003 19:13:54 -0400
From: rye encoke <rye_encoke@hotmail.com>
Subject: Mark-and-Rye-5

This story is about male/male relationships and may contain
graphic descriptions of sexual acts between consenting adults.
If it is illegal for you to read this story due to your age
or residence please stop now.

This is a work of fiction.  It may use names of real locations,
places and/or people but only to make the story more accessible to
its readers.  The use of these names in no way implies or is meant
to imply anything about the sexuality, personality or behaviour of
the actual person named.  Please be clear here - THIS IS A WORK OF
FICTION.

This story is the sole property of its author and may not be
copied in whole or in part or posted on any website without
the express written consent of the author.  The author wishes
to acknowledge and thank the archivist for Nifty for allowing
this story to be published here.

Questions/commentary can be sent to "rye_encoke@hotmail.com"
Criticism, both good and bad are appreciated, rants and hate
mail are forwarded to the senders email provider and deleted.

Authors Notes: Okay I have been posting like crazy but I wanted
to get some of the initial part of the story out.  I will post
once a week from now on.  Enjoy!

- There's No Place Like Home -

The guys walked into their hotel room and just sorta stared around
the room.

"Not very inviting after being at Rye's is it," Nicky said
flatly.

"I was thinking the same thing," replied Bryan.

"Nicky why don't you go give the info to security while we start
packing up,"  Shane went to his room.

"Right," Nicky headed out the door.

After about an hour the guys had finished packing all of the
groups personal stuff and dragged it down to the vehicle.  They
stood for a minute to look around the room.

"Let's head back to the loft now."

"Good idea Bry," Shane smiled as he closed the door, leaving the
key on the table.

The ride back to Rye's loft was spent with the three boys singing
off-key, purposely off-key, to whatever song happened to be
playing on the radio, making up words if they didn't know the
song.  They pulled into the parking lot with wide smiles and
laughing like they didn't have a care in the world.  They made
the several trips to get everything into Rye's loft, and during
the entire time they never once stopped smiling or laughing.

Finally they had everything in the loft and were just sitting
down as Rye, Jill, Kian and Mark entered the loft.

"Got everything?" Rye asked.

"Yeah," smiled Bryan, "took a while but its all here.  God it's
good to be home."

"Yeah no kidding," Nicky agreed.

Jill looked at Rye who had a huge smile on his face, then turned
back to the guys, "Do you realize what you just said?"

Bryan turned to her confused and asked, "What?"

"You said it's good to be home."

"Yeah well it is."

They still didn't get it.  "Think about what you said..it's good
to be *home*," she stressed the word.

Bryan suddenly understood then turned to Rye with an undefineable
look in his eyes, maybe fear or uncertainty, or maybe it was hope.

"Oh Rye, I'm sorry I didn't mean anything by it.  It's just that
after hotels and you make us feel so welcome and it just seems so
comfortable and....well....like home....I'm so...."

Rye didn't let him finish.  "Bryan don't apologize.  I can't even
describe how happy I felt when I heard you say that.  That you
feel so comfortable here it makes me feel just wonderful."

Bryan smiled happily and got up and gave Rye a big hug.  Rye
returned the hug warmly.  Bryan let go of Rye, giggled and
shrugged his shoulders, "Sorry, I'm a hugger."

Rye smiled and pulled Bryan into another embrace, "That's good,
I like getting hugs."

Rye turned to the group.  "Seriously, I want you all to think of
this as your home.  You all have the code to get in and I want you
to feel welcome here.  Treat this place like it was your own."

"Thanks Rye," Shane sat down, "When we were at the hotel we all
just realized how the place seemed lifeless and empty.  We just
wanted to get out of there quickly so we could be back here with
the rest of the guys and you and Jill.  It didn't feel right being
there.  It feels right being here, it really does."

For no reason that anyone could think of Jill suddenly hugged Kian
tightly then announced, "I'll get coffee," and headed to the
kitchen.

Kian stood there with a dazed expression on his face until Mark
nudged him and said, "I bet Jill could use some help with those
coffees Kian."

"What?" Kian looked blank then it came to him.  "Oh right.  I'll
just give Jill a hand with the coffees then."

Everyone laughed as Kian headed to the kitchen.

"What's on for today guys," Rye asked as he pulled Mark into an
embrace.

"Just hang out here I guess, I'm still a little tired and was
thinking of taking a nap if that's okay Rye?"  Shane asked.

"You don't have to ask Shane, it's your place too.  You can use
our bed if you want,"  Rye answered as he pulled Mark close.

Mark blushed furiously beside Rye as the bed upstairs was
described as 'theirs' but Rye didn't notice.  Rye continued,
"Seriously guys, consider this place yours, you are free to come
and go, use what you need, eat what you want, I think of you all
as my roommates."

"Roommates eh...." Nicky smiled wickedly, "Even paying one sixth
I doubt I could afford to live here."

"Luckily the place is paid for," Rye giggled, "and one of you is
sleeping with the owner."

"Kian," Bryan sounded shocked as Kian walked in with a tray of
coffee, "Are you sleeping with Rye?"

Kian's face went through like six different expressions as he
tried to come up with some response.  This just proved too comical
for the guys who all burst into laughter.  Shane fell off the
couch and just rolled around on the floor laughing.

Kian was sure he had been insulted but seeing everyone so overcome
with laughter he just started to laugh too.

Finally everyone settled down and grabbed a coffee.  Shane stayed
on the floor and sat cross legged while sipping his coffee.  With
a twinkle in his eye he turned to Jill beside him.

"You know what this reminds me of?" he asked.

Jill, ever the quick study, responded, "That cafe in Paris."

"And that cute waiter, what was his name?"

A pause then they looked at each other and said at the same time,
"Jean-Luc."

Everyone burst into fits of giggling again.  With a smile on his
face Rye looked around and something inside him clicked.  Some
part of him that he had forgotten he was missing was suddenly
there again.  He had a family.  He felt whole somehow.  He didn't
want it to end.  He though about the guys leaving in 9 days but
it didn't really bother him.  He would miss them for that 3 weeks
but he knew they would be back.  Maybe not to stay but they would
be back.  Mark would be staying though, he was sure of that.  He
turned his head to look at the back of the loft.  The bedrooms he
and Jill used filled the second floor of the northeast corner.
He looked at the rest of the northern part of the loft.  His
workout area, the multimedia area, the library and something
entered his head.

"Whatcha thinking?" Mark asked.

"Nothing.  Well not nothing.  An idea.  Gotta think more on it
first though."

"Kay.  Kian and Jill are gonna take a walk in the park.  Bry and
Nicky wanta use the pool tables.  Thought maybe we could go
shopping,"  Mark whispered.

"Sure. Hey guys."  Everyone turned to Rye.  "Okay entry code for
the loft is 4774.  Entry for the club is 2799.  I'll get some
duplicate keys for the doors in case we lose power you will need
to open them manually.  I'll also get duplicates for the SUV while
I am in getting the stereo fixed."

"Oh shite sorry Rye, I'll pay for that," Shane said reaching for
his wallet.

"Don't be silly.  Did you do it on purpose?" Rye asked.

"No of course not."

"Then it was an accident, no apologies necessary, and it won't
cost anything, covered under warranty."

"Cool Rye."

"I have also arranged for your table to be free for the next nine
days, so you guys have a permanent place in the club, and meals
and drinks are of course on the house."

"Rye you can't do that, you'll lose so much money," Nicky said.

Rye just stared at Nicky for a second before saying, "Nicky my
boy, you did see that number the other night didn't you?"

Nicky blushed, not from embarrassment but from the warm feeling he
got when Rye had called him 'my boy'.  "Yeah, sorry."

Rye got up and pulled Mark with him.  "Well we are off, Shane have
a good rest."  He started to move out the door.

"Rye," Shane called out.  Rye and Mark turned to see him standing
with a worried look on his face.

"Shane?"

"You can't hold hands," he pointed at Mark and Rye who were indeed
holding hands.

Rye looked down and then released Mark's hand.  He looked back at
Shane.

"I'm sorry Rye, sorry Mark," Shane said with pain in his voice.

"No worries Shane, glad you reminded us.  We have to remember to
be careful in public.  Good job 'me boyo'.  Don't ever be sorry
for helping us like that, and don't ever feel bad about doing
it,"  Rye said gently and walked over to Shane and pulled him
into an embrace.  Shane sighed deeply and his breath caught in a
dry sob.

"I just wish you could be yourselves everywhere and not just
here," Shane whispered.

"I know you do me boyo, but for now here is all we have, and as
long as you all are here, its good enough."  Then Rye kissed Shane
gently on the lips and released him.

Mark and Rye left the group behind with Shane still standing in
the middle of the sitting area.  As the door closed behind them
the guys all turned to Shane.  It was Nicky who finally broke the
silence.

"That was unexpected."

"Yeah it was," Shane responded as he took his seat once more.

"Is he a good kisser?" Bryan asked with excitement in his voice.

"It was wonderful," Shane answered back immediately.

"Was it sexy?"

"No, not at all,"  Shane answered, "It wasn't meant to be.  It was
just....."

"What you needed?" Jill filled in.

"Exactly."

Jill nodded, "That's why we all love him."

Shane turned to Jill, "He doesn't have feelings for me does he?"

"Sure he does.  He loves you.  He loves you all.  But not in the
same way as he loves Mark.  The kiss wasn't sexual at all was it
Shane?"

"No."

"It was just a kiss to tell you he loves you.  Did you feel
uncomfortable when he kissed you?"

"No, not a bit."

"Cuz you love him too.  Rye is a different type of person than you
will ever meet anywhere.  There's no fooling him, there's no
hiding from him.  He demands honesty and faithfulness.  He asks
for a lot from a person.  But he is so wonderful that you can't
not give him those things because what he gives back is so
incredible that your life without him would be so empty you
couldn't stand it.  That's why he kissed you.  You gave him
honesty not knowing how he would react, not knowing if you might
lose his friendship, and he rewarded you with his love in one of
the most personal ways he knows how.  He kissed you."

Shane nodded as did the others.  "I don't think I have ever felt
so loved by anyone before.  It was indescribable."

"It happens all the time.  And you never get used to it."

Kian spoke up, "Won't he think we are taking advantage of him.  I
mean staying in his place, eating for free in his club, drinking
his liquor, using his car.  I mean I sorta feel like we are."

"Why are you doing it?  I mean why are you eating his food and
staying in his place?"

Nicky spoke up, "He asked us to, well not really, he sorta told
us to."

"And did you offer to pay for the food, and for the room."

"Yeah but he said no."

"So how are you taking advantage of him?  Guys Rye is obscenely
wealthy.  Money ceased to mean anything to him after his first
hundred million.  I mean look at the way he lives, sure the loft
is fabulous, but do you see him wear any jewelry, his favourite
jeans are ripped, he drives an SUV, he works in a bar for crying
out loud.  The things that are important to him are the things on
the inside; friendship, love, truth, faith, those are what he
cares about.  It's hard to wrap your head around I know, but you
will get used to it."  Jill got up and grabbed Kian's hand.
"Let's hit the park."

"Yeah let's hit the club for some pool."  Bryan grabbed Nicky and
followed behind Jill and Kian, leaving Shane in the loft.

Shane finished his coffee and set down the empty cup.  "What have
you done to us Mr. Encoke?  You have turned our lives inside out
and all I can think of is how I can't possibly thank you enough.
I don't know how we managed to get through life before you and I
don't know how we could ever continue without you if you left."

Shane got up and headed to the upper loft to grab some rest to
restore his spirit after the emotional roller coaster he had been
on for the past little while.  He fell asleep almost immediately
and had nothing but good dreams.

- Jill and Kian -

Kian held Jill's hand as they walked through the park.  Neither
said anything.  Kian was thinking about all the things Jill had
said and was putting it all together in his head.  It all seemed
so strange, yet seemed so right.

"You were in love with him at one time weren't you?" Kian finally
broke the silence.

"Yes.  A long time ago.  Before the trouble."

"That was so awful."

They walked for a few minutes more before he spoke again.

"He places the mark pretty high."

Jill stopped and turned Kian to face her.  His eyes were moist but
he wasn't crying, she saw hope and also fear there though.

"He never placed a mark, not that way at least.  The only mark
placed is one you have already met, you are his friend.  I would
never expect any man to try and equal Rye.  It's impossible.
Don't you think I know that?  I have been his friend for 10 years,
I can't be like Rye, why would I expect anyone else to be."

"But you were in love with him."

"Yes I was, briefly, but he saw immediately what was happening and
stopped it.  Then he made me his best friend.  He never expects me
to be anything more than I am.  The only goal he ever placed for
me was to be the best friend to him I could be.  I have thought
many times I failed him in that respect but he never once let me
believe it. Never, not once, did he ever make me feel like I
didn't deserve his friendship."

Kian sighed deeply.

"Can I be your boyfriend?"

"As long as I can be your girlfriend."

Kian smiled and brought Jill's hand to his lips and gently kissed
it.  Jill smiled brightly through her tears and brought her arm
around Kian's waist as they continued to walk through the park
happy in each others love.

- Bryan and Nicky -

"We should have asked Jill how to work the lights," Bryan said
from the dark.

"Here it is," Nicky switched on the lights.

"See if the balls are back there too.  The sticks are here but no
balls."

Nicky looked around and found the trays with the balls. "Yeah,
here they are."

"So whatcha think of all this," Bryan asked.

"It's been the weirdest two days I have ever had."

Bryan nodded as he racked the balls, and waited for Nicky to
continue.

"But its also been the best two days of my life.  I can't really
describe it, but...."

"But what?"

"Promise not to laugh okay?" Nicky asked.

Bryan looked up from the table and looked right at Nicky.  "I
promise bro."

"I feel like I have just woken up from a dream.  You know how
nothing seems real in a dream?  After meeting Rye I realize how
much was missing from my life, and I keep wondering how I didn't
know that I was missing it before."

Bryan just nodded but Nicky didn't seem to notice as he continued
talking.

"The five of us have been friends for a long time.  And I don't
want to play down our friendship, but I feel as close to Rye as
to any of you.  And rather than diminish the bonds that the five
of us have, he seems to enhance it, make it better, stronger.  I
know that I would do anything he asked me to and that scares me,
but at the same time it makes me feel....weird inside....a good
weird though."

Bryan sat down on the edge of the table as he listened to his
friend try to explain what he was feeling.  He nodded constantly,
feeling the same things but not able to put those feelings into
words.  He was content to let Nicky do it.

"I keep thinking back to the things that Jill said, that he asks
for a lot from a person.  The funny thing is I don't feel like he
does.  I feel like I want to give it to him, to make him happy,
to make him smile.  I want so much to be his friend, and it's
hard to believe that I am and he just keeps making things better
and better.  Earlier when he called me his boy, I blushed, not
because I was embarrassed but because it made me feel so good, I
was so happy at that moment."  Nicky looked at Bryan with
embarrassment on his face.  "I know it's stupid but it was how
I felt.

"It's not stupid Nicky, I was actually a little jealous when he
called you that.  I want him to call me that too.  Shane is always
calling us that and I love him for it.  But I want us all to be
Rye's boys."  Bryan stopped and grinned.  "Now who sounds stupid."

Nicky smiled and continued, "Jill said it was one of God's twisted
miracles, and Shane said it was meant to be that we are together.
I believe that.  I really do.  If I believe nothing else in my
life I believe that Rye was meant to be a part of us and we a part
of him."

Nicky finally stopped and just looked at Bryan.  Bryan smiled at
Nicky and came over to him and held him for a long time, rocking
back and forth, not wanting to let him go.  Finally he stepped
back.

"Rye has done something to all of us.  We have always been close
you and me Nicky.  Until you said all those things I never knew
how much I cared for you.  I have never really told you how much
I love having you as my friend and brother.  So I just want to
say I am so proud and honored that you are my friend and I love
you so much."

Nicky just nodded because at that moment if he had tried to speak
he knew he would cry.  He gave Bryan a hug and finally managed to
say, "You break."

- Rye and Mark -

"You're quiet," Rye said to Mark as they drove to one of the
bigger local malls.

"Sorry, just thinking."

"What about?"

"A few things."

"Care to share."

"Okay.  I want to have sex, but I don't know how," Mark said it
fast and with embarrassment.

"Okay.  I think that we are passed the point where we have to hold
off.  The only real objections to it don't really exist anymore.
I take it everyone realizes I am not after money and I am not a
psychopath.  I don't think there were any objections other than it
happening too fast."

"Those were about it and I don't care about how fast.  But I still
have never...you know...and I don't think I want to...." Mark
broke off again, clearly embarrassed and afraid Rye may be upset.

"Well first, we don't have to do anal sex.  Personally, I don't
think I am ready for that, especially since I am not sure which of
us would be top or bottom or if we would take turns.  But as for
the other, well I have no experience at all either."

"What never?  Anything?"

"Nope, its only ever been me jerking off.  I had never even kissed
a man til I kissed you.  You were my first,"  Rye admitted with a
blush.

"Damn who would have thought I would be the experienced one in a
relationship."

"Experienced?" Rye asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Well....promise not to say anything cuz I don't know what the
guys would say if they found out I told you.  But on the tours
sometimes it gets lonely, and we are all friends and its nice to
have someone to hold and sometimes we just you know....."

Rye was surprised, "But none of the others are gay right?"

"Right, or not that I know of anyways."

"So what is exactly 'you know'?"

"Well holding each other, kissing, rubbing, jerking each other."
Mark was a little embarassed but he suddenly was feeling worried
too.

"I guess that makes sense, can't be just jumping into bed with
anyone after all," Rye said.

"Rye, I mean its okay right, that the guys...we do stuff together
right?  I mean can we still do stuff?  I will stop if you want me
to.  Or you could do stuff with them if it would make you feel
better, just with the guys though, cuz then it would be the same,
not with someone else though, I wouldn't like that, but......"
Mark suddenly stopped and started to cry.

"Hey stop that now," Rye said gently, "It's okay."

"Really?"

"Yes really.  Look I never thought you were a complete innocent,
even though I guess I am, which let me tell you is embarrassing
for me.  But if you guys help each other out its fine.  I know
that you love me in a different way than the guys and it doesn't
bother me at all that you do that together.  And you can keep
doing it.  As for me doing it, I doubt the guys would appreciate
you offering me their services."  Rye giggled and Mark blushed as
he realized what he had said.

"But if that situation arose, I think I would ask you about it
first.  It's a little different for me to be making out with them
than for you to be doing it.  But if you and I were together with
one of the guys that would be okay."

"Thank you Rye."

"For what?"

"For not making me feel like a slut."

Rye's eyebrows furrowed and he said quietly, "Don't talk like that
Mark, I would never think of you like that."

"I know that....now."

Rye quickly returned to his normal manner, "As for the rest, I
think we should start slow and just work on what feels comfortable
for us both.  Like what you have been doing with the guys, and see
where we go from there.  If it never involves anal sex thats fine
as long as we are together we will be okay.  I could live the rest
of my life with you and be completely satisfied with hand jobs.
It's your heart I want, sex is just a nice bonus."

"Cool."

"Cool," Rye said.  They pulled into the mall and parked.  Before
they got out Mark turned to Rye.

"Rye?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you mean it when you said that you might do stuff with one of
the other guys as long as I was there?"

"Yeah."

"Okay," Mark replied.

"Got someone in mind?"

"Well....."

"Come on out with it," Rye prompted.

"Well the guys all have been with each other and with me, but they
also love you a lot," Mark started.

"Yeah okay."

"I think that all of them will want to be with us," Mark finished.

Rye's eyebrows raised, "At the same time?"

Mark couldn't help but giggle, "No of course not, its never been a
group thing, just two of us together.  But I know they all love
you, and somehow I just know that they will want to share with us.
So I want to ask you straight out, if you are willing to be with
all of them, with me there of course.  Because if you aren't
willing to be with all of them, to share what we have with all of
them, then I can't let you be with any of them okay?"

Rye looked into the eyes of the man he loved and saw the caring
and love for his brothers there.  He saw that Mark wanted so much
to share him with his brothers.  He also saw the courage it had
taken for him to say these things to him.  Rye thought about it
and nodded.  "I love them all, I would be willing to share what we
have with all of them.  I want you to know though that what you
and I have is different from what we share with them.  That is
why I could only do this if you were there with me."

Mark nodded.  "I understand that.  Do you understand why I can do
it with them on tour, and will continue to do?  Tell me now if you
are really okay with it, because if you aren't I will stop it and
explain that we can only do it with you from now on."

"I understand and I am okay with it, really.  But it means a lot
that you asked, and that you cared enough to tell me and let me
decide.  I think we are jumping the gun a bit though, since you
and I have yet to be together."

"Yeah well we are gonna be together tonight so I expect shortly
after tonight it will happen so be prepared."

"Tonight eh....maybe I should have stayed home and gotten some
rest too.  So who do you think will be the first to ask?"

Mark smiled at Rye and asked, "Wanna take bets as to who we think
it will be."

"Nah, you know them too well you would win easily, but as far as
my guess goes, I think Shane."

Mark shook his head, "Nope, Bryan."

"You sound pretty sure.  Why Bryan?"

"Cuz he is the horniest,"  Mark giggled.

"Mark if we do get with one of the guys, is there anything that
we can't do, anything off limits?"

"I doubt any of the guys are into anal, but since you and I aren't
into that yet either I don't think it will come up.  Anything else
is pretty much okay, unless one of us says to stop.  We may have
to make up the rules as we go and everyone should be clear."

"Sounds good, now what are we in the mood to shop for?"

"The guys need a Playstation and some games. And we need groceries.
After that, whatever catches our eye I guess."

"Let's go then."

...to be continued