CTU 10

Well I've finally got round to finishing off CTU, just when I guess most people have given up this story for dead. I'd like to apologise to anyone who has been waiting for so long for this instalment. I wont bore you with excuses like `I've been way busy at work' (true) `I got a computer virus that wiped out the contents of my hard drive.' (Also true. Word to the wise; back up any important data. I didn't for months and lost most of CTU 10 and had to start over), `I was taken hostage by bandits with a penchant for The Times crossword puzzle' (not true, although I am starting to believe that life is one big soap opera, so anything is possible)

I'd also like to thank each and every one of you who has taken the time to write to me. It really give me a boost to know that there are people out there who love this story.

Anyway, on with the story. I hope that you enjoy. Big hugs, Drew.

"Oi Andy, over `ere you wanker"

"Fuck you Shawn, we're gonna get caught." I whispered anxiously as I crossed the road to catch up with my mate.

"Look, like I said, you keep watch, an' I'll be out in a couple a minutes. Don't go frit on me now."

"Yeah, but what if they're not out."

"Course they are. I've been scopin' this gaff out for a few days now. Me cousin's been doing a plastering job with `is firm for `em an' says that they're on `oliday. `e says that they've got a ton a stuff just waiting to be `arf inched. I'll be couple a minutes, grab their video and a bit of jewellery if I can find any an' we'll make a few bob. They ain't gonna miss nuffin, an' if they do who cares? Rich people got insurance an' stuff."

Not wanting to waste any more time, Shawn took his jacket off and bundled it up then held it to the pane of glass and shoved his elbow into it. The sound of breaking glass was muffled and within seconds he'd had the window open and was through.

I stayed outside and kept watch. Not because I wanted anything to do with this, but because my mate was doing something really stupid and I couldn't walk away from him. Shawn had just got back from a stretch in youth detention a month or so before and it looked like he was heading right back there.

I was trying to remember how I got into this mess, it was all a bit vague. I remembered Shawn and me leaving the pub after having a skin full. He said that he had something to do and could I give him a hand? Of course I would, he's me mate. It wasn't until we were standing outside a three storey town house a couple of miles away from home that I realised what he had in mind.

I was fucking angry and feeling like a mug. Shawn knew that I wouldn't run off and leave him, why would I? We're mates, I'd known him since we started school. Him and the rest of my mates, like a gang we stuck together. But he knew that if he'd told me what he was up to I'd never have gone with him. I wasn't into that, not serious. Sure a bit of shop thieving, but that was harmless. This was something totally different, and something that I didn't want to be part of.

True to his words Shawn was back on the street in minutes, screaming at me to leg it. I looked back and saw that just behind him was a really pissed off looking bloke. We both ran like fuck, I took a drop, Shawn carried on running and soon the guy caught up with me. I took a beating that night. The guy waded into me, how I got away I can't remember, because the next thing I do remember was waking up in the morning to the sound of Dean asking if I was okay.

"What you doing here?" I asked him sleepily. At the same time realising that the pain all over my body was real and not something I was dreaming.

"We were supposed to meet up an hour ago to go swimming, your mum let me in saying that you'd not woken yet. Who did this to you?"

I told Dean what had happened the previous night after we left the pub. He didn't say a word as I told him everything, and when I finished he got up and left the room. A few moments later he came back with a damp flannel, cotton wool and a bottle of anti-septic and bathed my wounds. When he'd done his Florence Nightingale bit he instructed me to get dressed.

It wasn't long before we found Shawn and the others kicking a ball around the back garages.

"Alright Dean, Andy. Wassup?"

I don't think Dean took too kindly by Shawn's cheery tone. He walked right up to him and grabbed him by the throat, pushing him into a metal garage door. Then Dean went wild, smashing his fists into Shawn's face and stomach repeatedly until Shawn crumpled down to his knees.

"If you ever fucking do something like that again I'm gonna fuck you up for good." Dean yelled at him. "You wanna get into grief, that's fine. Don't drag the rest of us down with ya. Right."

He turned round to me and said "Come on, we're outa here."

A couple of the guys that Shawn was with went up to him to help him to his feet. Coughing and spluttering blood all over the place he wasn't beyond a final retort.

"That's right, fuck off outa here and take your boyfriend with you."

Bad move. Where I'm from you don't make a statement like that lightly. Sure as a joke, but not in anger. Dean and I were used to people commenting on the fact that we were always seen together, where one was the other wouldn't be too far behind. We were close, closer than brothers and far closer that any of our mates could have ever imagined.

It's an unfortunate fact that some of the worst put downs that are around are still `poof', `queer', `fag' and `arse bandit'. Where I grew up you don't use them in anger unless you knew how to use your fists, to challenge someone's sexuality was akin to challenging their manhood.

This was a bad move on Shawn's part as there were just people who you don't say things like that to, not unless you like hospital food. Dean was one of those people who you wouldn't want to take on; his reputation of being one of the estates hard men was long established and very rarely challenged. Dean may have been hard, but he was always controlled, thanks to years of boxing discipline he's always remained focused and able to stay on top of any situation. I've only seen Dean loose it completely three times in my life and it wasn't a pretty sight.

Thinking quickly I caught hold of Deans arm as he was heading back towards Shawn and pulled him back. I knew that if I didn't step in Dean might do something that in a better frame of mind he may regret.

I advanced to Shawn who squared himself up to me, we were virtually nose to nose. "You should have stayed down you stupid fuck." With that I punched him hard in the gut, as he doubled up I lifted my knee and struck him in the face. This time he took the hint and stayed down. And this time there was no one around to help him up, all the guys who were with him followed Dean and I back out of the garage area.

Of course I wasn't proud of what I did, but on the other hand it could have been a lot worse if Dean had answered that slur back.

*****

I woke with a start from my dream trying to think why something that had happened back when I was sixteen had returned to haunt me. I think it's because it was after those events I became determined to get out of my life at the time. It had happened during the summer after my GCSE exams and I'd got good enough grades to go on to A' levels. My dad wanted me to leave school and start working, while my mother wanted me to stay on and get qualified to go on to university.

None of my mates took that chance and I think that it was after that night that I realised that there was no way I wanted to tread the path that they all seemed to be headed on. Shawn kept his distance from the rest of us from then on, no one wanted anything to do with him once the full story of the burglary got out and why Dean had to teach him a lesson. The last I heard of him was that he was now doing time for aggravated burglary. Aside from Shawn, out of our whole gang Dean and I were the only ones who made it out of the estate and as time went on I heard less and less about them all.

I looked around the bedroom, morning light breaking through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the room just enough so I could see Tom sleeping soundly next to me. It was then that I remembered about last night when Jamie got beaten up; perhaps that was why I had that dream from my dark distant past.

Jamie, who I remembered to be an early riser, must have woken, as he was no longer in bed between us. I raised myself up on my elbow and looked down at Tom's handsome features. His face, angelic and peaceful. I wondered what he was dreaming? Whether he had anything in his past that haunted his sleep? His chest rising and falling with every breath, I leaned down and placed a kiss on his lips and rolled back down and went off back to sleep. My last thought was to wonder what I could have possibly have done to deserve someone like him in my life.

When I woke up properly about an hour or so later Tom's arm was around my chest and his face was near mine, but he was still fast asleep. Carefully so as not to wake him I tried to get out of bed, Tom murmured as I moved his arm, he wrapped it round me even tighter. I was stuck between the want to stay in bed with him or the need to pee, talk about a rock and a hard place. I kissed him on his lips.

"Hmmm, that's nice." He whispered.

"Morning sweetie, are you awake?"

"No, it's Sunday, no work, bed is good, sleep." He replied sleepily still not opening his eyes.

I moved my hand softly down his back and caressed his buns again Tom murmured something that I couldn't make out.

"Huh?" I asked.

He opened his eyes and looked at me then smiled.

"I was having a great dream. I dreamt that we woke up in bed together for the first time in ages."

"Erm Tom, that's not a dream. I'm here."

"Okay, that's nice." He closed his eyes again.

"I'll be back soon."

"K"

He moved his arm and I got out of bed and headed off to the bathroom. Once I'd had my morning leak I went back into the bedroom to see Tom still fast asleep so I pulled on my underwear and headed downstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast in bed for him. Dead romantic, init.

As I entered the room I saw Jamie with his back towards me. I couldn't help but behold the sight before me. He was standing by the kitchen worktop waiting for the kettle to boil, wearing only a very small black PVC thong. Man he looked hot. He really had put some muscle on over the last few months, not too much but just enough to fill out his lean frame, his broad shoulders tapered down to a very trim waist. The thong he wore helped emphasise his cute bubble butt.

I walked up behind him, draped my arms around his shoulders and planted a kiss on his face. He turned round and kissed me back.

"Good morning Jay, how ya feeling?"

"Like someone's given me a good kicking the night before." He sort of half smiled after his reply. "Do you want any breakfast? I'll make it."

"I was going to take some breakfast up to Tom."

"I, I really need to talk to you, if that's alright? Let me get you something,"

"Okay, thanks, just tea and cereal for me. Nice thong by the way"

"Cheers, I thought you'd like it. I got it from the shop below the café, staff discount and all that." Jamie replied with a cheeky grin.

I sat down at the dining table and moments later Jamie brought over a tray with two mugs of tea and two bowls of Corn Flakes. We drank and ate in silence until we finished, then breaking our thoughts Jamie said

"I'm sorry about last night."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. Do you want to tell me what happened then?"

Jamie took a sip of his tea then went on to tell me the events of last night. "Lee, the guy I left the club with suggested that we go off to the hill for a bit of fun. We couldn't go back to his place because he lives with his parents, so we went up there."

"Didn't you think to bring him back here?"

"Well yeah, but I don't want Tom to think I'm taking advantage of him. He's been so good to me for letting me stay here for the summer. I just thought that he might get pissed off if I brought someone back to his flat"

"Don't you think he's more pissed off that you went to a cruising ground and got yourself beaten up?"

"I suppose so."

"So what happened? Did this Lee guy turn on you or something?"

"No, god no." He replied sounding totally shocked that I could have asked such a question. "What happened was that we were having a snog by the Nelson monument when this guy comes up to us and asks if we had a light. I said that we didn't smoke and he walks off. We went back to what we were doing, then the guy comes back again and asks if we wanted to go back to his place. We said no, then he started freaking out, calling us names and stuff. Lee tried to calm him down, but it only made it worse. Then I told him to fuck off and leave us alone. That's when he hit me. Once round the face and when I went down twice here." Jamie pointed to a couple of very nasty looking bruises on his chest.

"Lee managed to get the guy away from me but another guy came out of nowhere and rounded on him and hit him a couple of times. Lee got away and then we both legged it before they could do anything more. I don't think they followed us because when we got back down to the street I couldn't see them anywhere. That's when I called Tom. He bought me a mobile phone a couple of weeks ago saying that I was to keep it on me. He said that he was a bit worried about me going out clubbing till late and even though he felt that I didn't need to be taken care of, he'd feel better if I had it with me. I laughed it off at the time saying that he worried too much, but he insisted that I had it with me anyway."

"I'm glad he did."

"I just hope he's not angry with me."

"Of course he's not. Maybe just a bit worried. Hey he cares about you. We both do."

"I know, and thanks. I just don't get what those guys problem was?"

We both went silent for a bit, I was thinking how lucky Jamie was that nothing worse had happened to him. There was a cruising ground near to where I used to live, I heard about the park during the time that I started to take my first steps into the gay scene. I went there once to check it out, I don't know why, because now when I think about it I just shudder. Maybe I was in the wrong part or something as there was no one about. I hung around for a bit, then just went off back home.

A while later I read in the Pink Paper that some guy got murdered there, and it was on the same night that I was there. That shit me up big time I can tell you. I told Dean about it when I heard, he went crazy that I'd gone to the park on my own. He was always a bit protective of me. I've never been back since and I was hoping that last nights experience would put Jamie off from the cruising grounds too.

"Andy" Jamie finally spoke while nervously biting his thumbnail, letting me know what was on his mind. "I want you to know that while I've been staying here, Tom and I haven't, you know. I don't know if you had thought that we might have, but we haven't. I'd probably wonder if I were you, if that maybe Tom and I were getting it together while you're not around. But I wouldn't do that, not to you. You mean a lot to me Andy, I'd never, try it on with Tom, like I said to you ages ago, he's like a big brother to me, probably more than my real brothers. He's always been the one I've been able to talk to, even after that time last Christmas, when he caught us together, I felt that I really hurt him, like we both did. I know that we've not known each other for that long but I really care about you, and Tom, you're like my family, much more than my real family."

"I feel that way too, and it hadn't even crossed my mind that you and Tom might have got together behind my back. Tom's not like that and I don't think you are either."

"So you're the exclusive couple then?" He said with a smile that I noticed did go from ear to ear like it usually did.

"Yeah." I let out a small laugh.

"What?"

"No, it's just weird to think even though we've been together for eight months now, when I think that I'm in a relationship... I don't know, it's just weird."

"Good weird or not good weird?"

"Oh, definitely good weird. I always knew that if I found the right guy I'd have no problem settling down, I just didn't think that it would be now, like maybe when I'm thirty or something."

"And you haven't been with anyone since you and Tom got together?"

I went on to tell Jamie about what happened with Dean when he came to stay with us a few months back, how Tom reacted and how it nearly split us apart.

"Tom's mentioned Dean to me a couple of times, I would have thought that he'd hate Dean after that had happened. But he's only said about that he was looking forward to going to Dean's sons christening or something. So what, is Dean gay then? I mean, he can't be if he's got a kid, can he?"

"Ah, the sixty four thousand dollar question. What is Dean's sexuality? If anyone were to ask him he'd say that he was straight, but in reality he's more bi then anything. I thought that he and Tom's friend Alex were an item a while back, but the last time we spoke he was going on about this girl he works with called Diane. I wonder if Dean's been with both of them." I couldn't help smile at the thought that Dean had said to me on I don't know how many occasions that I was the only guy that he had ever done anything with, the only guy who he'd ever consider doing anything with. I wonder if something might have changed his mind somewhere along the way.

"So you and Dean, have you got it on together in the past or was it just that one time?"

I went on to give Jamie a brief run down on the relationship that Dean and I had. How we'd known each other most of our lives and although he was pretty much straight, we ended up in bed on more than a few occasions.

"Jamie, can I ask you a question?"

He nodded.

"Are you really alright about Tom and I being together?"

He was silent for a while, looking as if he was collecting his thoughts. I'd been meaning to speak to him properly for ages but never had the opportunity. I was slightly worried that he might have been hurt when Tom and I got together as he and Tom had always been close and also because back at Christmas time Jamie and I had got together a few times but not since Tom and I started dating. I guess I wanted to make sure that he was okay with how things had turned out.

"Can I be honest with you?" He asked, breaking his silence.

"Always." I replied without hesitation.

"I am really happy that you and Tom are together. But it also feels a bit weird too. It's like I've known Tom all my life, because my mother is his parent's housekeeper we hung out a lot when he was back from boarding school for the holidays. He's closer to my age than my brothers and his brothers are also a lot older, so we've always been able to talk to each other about almost anything. The one thing that I never could talk to him about was me being gay; I mean what if he'd freaked? What if he didn't want to know me any more? I had no one I could talk to about that, or at least I didn't think so. Maybe it would have been different if I had."

"What do you mean?" I had a good idea what the answer would be, but I asked the question anyway.

"Well..." He hung his head low. I prompted him to go on. "Well I sort of used to dream that I'd tell Tom that I was gay and hope that somehow he would not only understand but would tell me that he was too and that he'd be my first. Embarrassing isn't it?"

"No, not at all."

"See the thing is that I feel that I should have said something to him. I mean he turned out gay after all. Maybe if I did..."

"But Jamie, think about this. Tom's had a bit of a time adjusting to the idea of being in a gay relationship. It hasn't been all roses and nightingales singing in Berkeley square. It was great when we got together at his parents over New Year, but when we got back to uni it took him a while to get his head round everything. Even now he has issues."

"Yeah, like yesterday in the Blue Moon when he got embarrassed when I kissed him

"Yeah, but I know that he's dealing with them in his own way. What I'm saying is that you and I have always known that we're gay, we've dealt with it and didn't have too many problems other than outside influences, family, friends and the like. But inside you and I have always known. With Tom it's been different. If you had come out to him a year or two ago I'm sure he'd have been okay, but if you hoped that he would have done likewise I think you'd probably have been disappointed.

"Yeah, well I guess it doesn't matter now. After all you were my first instead and I'm glad that you two are together." A grin broke out on his face, this time it went from ear to ear.

"Morning guys". A bleary eyed Tom in his threadbare dressing gown entered the living room and crossed to the table to give me a kiss. "You should have woken me."

"You looked so peaceful sleeping up there, I didn't have the heart to. I was going to bring you breakfast in bed, but Jamie and I got talking."

"That's cool, nice thought though. And how we doing slugger?" Tom asked Jamie as he went up to the lad. Tom cupped his hand on Jamie's chin and turned his face round to get a proper look at the shiner on Jamie's right eye. He flinched when he saw it properly.

"I still say that we should report this to the police, I don't know why you don't want to Jamie."

"I just don't see the point. What are they going to do about it?"

"Tom it's not worth it. Jamie's sixteen. He could find himself in more trouble. They'll be asking him questions about what he was doing up there in the first place at that time of night. Not that they wouldn't know the answer already."

"So we just let those thugs get away with it?"

"Well the police aren't going to help us, that I know for sure. Even with a good description I doubt that they'd find them and they'd probably be more interested in charging Jamie and his mate for gross indecency."

"What?" They both asked.

"Haven't you heard of that one? Oh it's a great little law that they've got to throw at gays. If a straight couple get caught having sex in a public place the most that would happen is that they would be on a charge of causing public affray, chances are that they'd get away with a smirking policeman giving them a bit of a ticking off. But if two guys get caught then it's gross indecency, maximum of two years in prison and a nice little entry on the sexual offenders registrar, you know the same one they use for rapists and paedophiles. Okay, so they didn't catch Jamie and his mate at it, but I'm sure that they'd find a way of charging them with something."

Tom and Jamie were stunned into silence. Obviously they'd not really looked into gay law before. Truth is that the only reason I knew about it was from an article that I read a while back in Gay Times. I've never really had much time for the police, I don't trust them, growing up where I did you don't. The law is some abstract concept that seems to apply to other people. The only time you'd ever see a copper on the beat a round my housing estate was when they were driving behind the wheel of a meat wagon with the riot shield down.

But what I read in that article made me realise how bad things could be for us. How that the police would raid gay pubs and clubs on a regular basis, arresting anyone and everyone. How that there are laws that still exist about us that infringe our basic human rights. It was a real scary article,

I once had a conversation with Dan my university tutor and friend about some of the things that I read and he confirmed to me all I read. He told me that they were worse when he came out in the mid 80's though, and even worse before that. I had no idea that before the late 1960's you could even be put in prison just for being gay. I couldn't work out how any of that was allowed to happen in a civilised country. Dan replied that he doubted that there were many countries in the world that could truly claim to be civilised. It's not something that you can dwell on though, after all what could I do to change it?

Tom got up from the table and went over to his pile of work papers, pulled out a pad and started writing.

"What ya doing?" I called out to him.

"I'm a researcher at the SNP, I'm just going to do a bit of research of my own. I want to find out about all this sort of stuff now that it effects me."

I laughed and said, "Ooh the gay crusader! We'll have you chaining yourself to the railings outside Parliament soon."

"Or to a policeman!" Injected Jamie with an ear to ear grin. "If he's nice, get me his number, I like a man in uniform."

After breakfast the three of us went upstairs to get dressed then spent the rest of the morning and the early part of the afternoon just lounging about, chatting and watching the telly. Around two in the afternoon Jamie had made us all a packed lunch, as Tom thought it would be a nice idea to sit out on Carlton hill and watch the world go by for a while. He said that he wanted to show me that by day it is actually a nice place to hang around. He went on to tell me that some evenings he'd take a walk up there after work and just sit around and take the view of Edinburgh in before it got dark. What he liked most about it was that by early evening there were few tourists around and even though it was right in the city, you could really get into the peace and quiet up there.

We were just about to head out when the intercom on the front door buzzed. Tom went up to the phone by the door and answered it.

He put the receiver down and looked worriedly over at Jamie.

"What?" Jamie asked.

"Look, Jamie, I'm sorry. I should have told you. Last night when we were in casualty I called your mother to let her know that..."

"You did what?" A rather panicked Jamie interrupted.

"I promised her that I'd look after you and thought she should know what had happened. I didn't give her the full story, just that you'd got in a spot of bother and that we were in casualty having you checked over. I didn't think that she'd send one of your brothers down after I called her back to let her know that everything was okay."

Tom opened the door and a stocky built angry guy pushed passed him as if he were nothing.

"Right you" He said angrily pointing at Jamie. "Get yer things, we're going home."

Jamie got up from the sofa and coldly looked over to Tom. "See what you've done." He then turned round to his brother and with as much determination that I'm sure he could muster said, "I'm no going home with you, not now, not ever."

"We'll see about that yer foocking jessie."

Jamie, who seemed to be shaking like a leaf, I wasn't sure if it was through fear or anger, squared up to his elder brother and repeated his statement that he wasn't going back. He then added that as far as he was concerned he and the rest of his family could go to hell. This of course did not go down too well.

Jamie's brother grabbed hold of his arm and twisted it round into a half nelson, I could see the pain in Jamie's face was excruciating.

"Leave him alone you fucker." I shouted jumping out of my seat and bounding over to them.

"Who the fuck are you?" He barked at me. He let Jamie out of his hold and pushed him onto the floor and rounded on me. He looked like he was sizing me up, I was no match for this guy, I knew that, he was huge. But I didn't care, all I could see was that he was hurting a friend of mine and somehow I had to get him to stop. He stepped up to me, snarling like a dog about to attack. I looked him squarely in his eyes, trying not to show any fear.

"STOP IT!" Jamie's brother and I turned round at the same time and looked at Jamie staggering up onto his feet. Tears of pain in his eyes as he clutched his chest, bruised from the night before. Tom stepped up to him to help him up, but was shrugged off. "I'm not coming home with you and you can beat me up all you like. Who do you think you are? Like dad or something?" His voice becoming louder and more determined as he went on. "You, him or the rest of `em aren't going to get to me anymore, I've had enough."

Tom put his arm round Jamie only to have it shrugged off once again. "And you can fuck off as well. I trusted you Tom."

With that he pushed past his brother, out of the flat and ran down the stairs. The slam of the front door echoed all round the building.

I turned back to his brother and said, "You might be his brother but you don't have a clue. What? You think by beating him up he wont be queer anymore?" I guess he didn't like that too much, he looked like he was about to go for me, instinct kicked in and I got there first. Just before his fist made contact with me I kneed him in his privates as hard as I could. He crumpled on the floor like a sack of spuds.

"Bloody hell Andy!" exclaimed Tom. "I never knew you had it in you."

"Neither did I."

"You alright?" He asked pulling me into a comforting hug.

"Yeah, just pissed off that some wanker like this thinks he can barge in and give Jamie a hard time. Who does he think he is?" I looked over at him, still writhing in pain on the floor.

"I really messed up last night. I thought that Jamie's mother should know that there had been a bit of bother, I thought it would be better that she heard it from me than someone else, I did promise to look after the kid." Tom looked so remorseful as he said that. We were still in our embrace and I pulled him tighter to me.

"Yeah, well sometimes doing the right thing is the worst thing you can do. Did you catch the bit that Jamie said about this piece of shit and his dad not beating him up again? I'm thinking that there's more to this than just a bit of family homophobia."

"You could be right, I had no idea. I've known his parents for most of my life, sure I know that they're strict, but I never would have thought of his dad as being someone who beats up on his kids."

"Look, I'll go see if I can catch up with Jamie and bring him back. You sort the brother out."

"I don't know, I think maybe you should be the one to do the heavy stuff. I can't believe that you kneed him in the nuts like that. Nice one."

"Just something that Dean taught me, if someone's going to hit you, you get in there first. I've never been much of a fighter, but that don't mean that I can't."

"I'll remember never to get in a fight with you."

"Don't worry, your balls are safe." I winked at him and placed my hand over his jeans covered package. "Besides they're far more use to me in working order."

"I'll be happy to give you a demonstration of what you'd be missing out on a wee bit later if you like."

"I'm counting on it."

We gave each other a quick peck on the cheek and I headed out of the door to find Jamie, picking my keys and mobile up from the table on the way. That's when the thought first struck me, they were MY keys. Okay so not exactly a pivotal moment in human history, but for me it was one of those rare moments of clarity when I knew that all would be well. I'd got out of the life that I had before university, and was building myself a new one that I was far happier with. Just thought I'd share that.

Thinking about it maybe it would have been better for Tom to have gone after Jamie. I realised this as I ran down the steps and out onto the street, I had no idea where I'd begin to look for Jamie. This was my first proper time in Edinburgh and I had no idea what way to go. I figured that he had a good three or four minute start on me, and as he could have gone off in any direction I'd be better off taking a run round the block. I turned left and got to the end of the road, I was just about to make my way up the hill when I caught a glimpse of Jamie sitting down in a railed garden. I looked about for a gate, it was locked, obviously it was one of those private communal gardens. Not put off by the thought of trespassing, I jumped the railings and made my way down the path to where Jamie was sitting on a bench, his legs pulled up to his chest and chin resting on his knees. He was rocking slightly back and forth and it looked like he was crying.

"Jamie" I called over to him as I approached the bench. He looked up, eyes red and tears streaked down his cheeks. I sat down beside him and put my arm round him.

"I'm not going back there Andy, they can't make me."

"No one's going to make you do anything you don't want to. If you want to stay here then that's what you'll do."

"How can I? I've got nowhere to go."

"What's wrong with staying with Tom?"

"If it weren't for him..."

"Jamie, if Tom knew what was going to happen he'd never have called your parents."

He looked up at me and rubbed his hands over his face in an attempt to dry his eyes. "I can't go back there, home I mean. You don't know how bad it's been over the past few months. I hate them, I fucking hate them. They're not my family, I don't have a family." The look in his eyes turned from one of hurt to one of anger. "You know what I got when I came out to them? A fucking good kicking from my dad." He started to cry again. I put my arm round him and pulled him close into me.

"Let it out Jamie, get rid of the pain." The boy put his legs down on the ground and drew his arms around me, sobbing into my chest while I stroked his head trying my best to comfort him.

Eventually his crying died out; he looked up at me and pulled slightly away.

"I love you Andy."

"And I love you too Jamie. Don't worry, things will be alright, you'll see."

He drew up so that we were facing each other, looking into each other's eyes. "Thank you" He said, then he leaned in and kissed me. I was slightly taken aback as this wasn't a chaste peck, but a full-blown passionate kiss.

"Disgusting!"

Jamie and I both pulled away from each other and looked up to see a couple of old blue rinse women staring at us in full disgusted mode.

"Fuck off" Jamie snapped at them.

"Well I never." Exclaimed one to the other as they started to shuffle off on their way.

But Jamie couldn't leave it there, he called after them. "Yeah and you never will with those soup cans in your hair!" Referring to the woman who had a set of huge curlers poking out from under her woolly hat. I couldn't help myself but laugh and just about caught their conversation about `that sort of thing being behind closed doors and young people having no respect for elders these days, not like it was during the war', as they waddled off along the path and out of the gate on the opposite side of the garden.

"I'm sorry Andy."

"What for that? Don't worry about it, probably did them a favour, now they've got something to talk about for the next month down the bingo."

"No, not that. I mean I'm sorry for kissing you like that. I didn't mean to, I just couldn't help it. When you said that you loved me I wished it were true, that you really did. But I know, you love Tom. But that's okay, really. I'm fine about that and I'm sorry that I got a bit emotional and all that."

"Jamie, you know that you'll always have a place in my heart, but yes, I'm in love with Tom, I hope that you're not hurt about that?"

"No of course not. I love seeing you two together, it's cool. Really."

We fell back into silence, Jamie and I just sat there on the bench, I put my arm back round him and he rested his head on my shoulder. I sort of felt a bit awkward by what had just happened and what Jamie said afterwards, I just hoped that he knew that I really did care for him. He had to know that Tom and I both cared about him. I was just about to suggest that we head back to the flat, so he and Tom could talk. Jamie obviously needed to do that, even though he was saying that he didn't want to. I was trying to work out a good way of persuading him to at least hear Tom out when my mobile rang. I fished it out of my jeans pocket and saw Tom's name on the display.

"That's Tom isn't it?" Jamie asked.

I nodded. Then pressed the button to take the call. He told me that Jamie's brother had just left worse for wear. "Tell Jamie not to worry, I doubt that he'll be back anytime soon." I relayed the message to Jamie, who made a very audible sigh of relief.

"So how's Jamie? Is he okay?"

I looked at Jamie and asked him if he wanted to speak to Tom. He shock his head, then laid it back down on my shoulder. I told Tom that it was best if he gave Jamie some time to sort himself out.

"If you think that's best. By the way, you both look dead cute sitting there like that. Those two women looked freaked out at you two kissing back there, you must have made their day. By the way, is there anything you want to tell me?"

My heart skipped a beat. The last thing I needed Tom to be thinking was that there was something going on with Jamie and me. But then I thought that the tone in his voice didn't sound bad. I replied "Only that I love you."

"Aye. And?" Yep there was definitely a light tone in his voice.

"And that Jamie is a great kisser, you should try it sometime." I chanced my hand, with that remark.

He laughed. "You shit. Maybe I should be reminding you who's the best kisser round here."

"That's fine coming from the person who doesn't kiss in public. Where are you?" I asked. I looked up and around until I saw Tom standing at the railings with his phone in his hand. Jamie looked up as I did and also saw Tom. He made a start to get up.

"Jamie, look you know how sorry Tom is, why don't you go over and sort this out?"

"Why?" He started walking off in the opposite direction from Tom. I jumped up and grabbed his arm to stop him from going any further.

"Because Tom loves you and knows that he fucked up. At least go over and hear him out. You owe him that much. Look Jamie I don't mean to be harsh." I let go of his arm. "And it's not about me taking sides, I know that what Tom did was stupid, but I also know that he only did it because he thought it was the right thing to do. Don't throw your friendship away for just one stupid mistake. Just go over there and hear him out."

Tom fished his keys out from his pocket and opened the gate. I beckoned Tom over, in the hope that Jamie would stay to hear what he had to say. At the same time Jamie started walking towards him, I followed a few paces behind.

They met half way.

"Jamie I'm so sorry." Tom pleaded. "I know your brother coming up was all my fault, if I'd known that was going to happen I'd never have called."

Jamie just stood there, uncharacteristically quiet.

Tom went on. "I only thought that your mum should know because the hospital would have forwarded your details down to Doctor Clay, and he'd have had your mum on the phone like a shot. I figured that it would be better coming from me that you got into a spot of bother. I didn't know that she would have over reacted like that. Tell me what can I do to make this better?"

Jamie still silent for a while, he seemed like he was taking in all what Tom had said. Then a grin came to his face and he said, "Well, you could take me shopping."

"Cheeky git." Tom cuffed him round the back of his head. "Okay, so if a bit of retail therapy is required then that's what we'll do. Just don't go breaking the bank, I plan on eating sometime this month."

"Don't worry." Replied Jamie, still grinning. "I know exactly what I want. The new Scotland away strip."

I forgot that the first time I met Jamie was when he was on the way back from Europe having seen Scotland play some international game. He was on the train with one of his brothers, not the berk who paid us a visit today, and a load of friends.

"I didn't know you were patriotic." Said Tom.

"I'm not, I just think the kit looks cool. So how about it?"

"Well if that's what it takes to buy back your love, I'll consider it money well spent."

"And if you look as good in footy shorts as I know you will, I'll agree that it's definitely money well spent."

They both looked at me. "What? Just because I don't like boxers, doesn't mean that I don't appreciate a cute arse in a pair of nylon football shorts."

"Pervert." Tom replied. "I'm going out with a fucking pervert."

"Yeah and you love it." I retorted with an evil grin.

"True."

"Hey, how come I don't get a key to the gardens?" I said this as Tom opened the gate to let us out.

"I don't know, I didn't think about it. I'll put it on my list of things to do."

Tom put his arms round both Jamie's and my shoulders and we walked down to Princes street. It wasn't long before we found a sports shop and Jamie found the kit that he was after. We were approached by a hot looking guy around our age, wearing the shops uniform of navy blue jogging bottoms and a red polo shirt that clashed badly with his thick mane of copper hair. He asked us if we needed any help. Jamie replied that he wanted to try the kit on. The guy told Jamie to follow him to the changing cubicles. Tom and I started looking around at the rest of the merchandise on display until Jamie stepped out.

"What do you reckon?" Jamie asked as we made our way to the back of the shop to get a better look.

"Looks good." Tom replied.

"What do you think Andy?"

I looked him up and down. While I thought he looked good in the shirt and shorts, I also though that they did nothing for him."Great, but I'd go one size down on the shorts. What's the point of wearing something hot like that if it doesn't show off what you have to offer?"

The sales guy who had just rejoined us chipped in, "I agree with your mate."

Jamie looked at the guy then at his nametag. "Thanks Eoin, maybe you could get me the next size down while I change."

I noticed that the two of them exchange a wink just before Eoin went off.

"Slut!" I whispered into Jamie's ear.

"You know it." He replied then went back into the cubicle totally non phased. Tom and I went off browsing again.

"You know, maybe I should get some football shorts as well." Tom remarked. "If that's what it will take to get you off my case about wearing shorts I'll happily oblige."

"Now I could just about live with that." I replied.

We looked around some more, Tom holding up pair after pair for my approval. I could mentally picture him in each and every one of them. Yep I was liking the idea more and more.

"Did what I just see just happen?" Tom asked looking over in the direction of the changing cubicle. I looked over in time to see the sales assistant close the door behind him.

"Looks like Jamie's making a new friend." I replied.

Some time later Tom had decided on a couple of pairs of shorts and a couple of tee-shirts without bothering to try them on, he'd taken them to the counter and told the assistant there that we were waiting on our mate to make a decision on what he was going to buy. He started de-tagging our purchases then we saw the changing room door open and a very dishevelled Eoin stepped out followed not long after by Jamie, who had changed back into his Jeans and t-shirt.

"Well?" Tom asked.

"I think I should buy this one." Jamie replied holding up a shirt and a very damp looking pair of shorts.

Eoin motioned for the other assistant to move out the way so that he could continue the sale. They exchanged a glance that could have been interpreted in many ways. He totted up the total and then said that he'd taken off 10% off the bill because one of the items seemed to be shop soiled. Jamie blushed bright red.

The sale complete, Tom was handed back his credit card, then Eoin scribbled something on a piece of paper and gave it to Jamie.

"Call me?" He asked.

"Sure." Replied Jamie.

*****

Back out onto the streets of Edinburgh, the three of us were just wondering around. The weather was great and being August the festival was in full swing, the streets were packed full of tourists and people handing out leaflets advertising things that were going on in one of the worlds biggest arts festivals. Seeing all the street performers and the general hustle and bustle of the city made me wish that I didn't have to leave the next day, I was having a great time and I was with the guy who I always wanted to be with. For a moment I seriously considered jacking in the RSC and staying with Tom for the rest of the summer. But I knew that I couldn't do that, so I put that inner conflict to the back of my mind and resolved myself to enjoy the rest of my stay and not think about the next month that Tom and I would be apart.

We had decided that we'd grab some take away sandwiches and a few cans of beer from Marks and Spencer, and head up to Carlton hill. That had been the original plan for the day before things got side tracked, but we couldn't be bothered to walk all the way back to the flat for the packed lunch. We were just making our way through the crowds towards the hill when I heard someone call my name.

"Andy, oh my god, Andy what the bloody hell are you doing here?"

I looked around and there she was the flame haired minx that was Charlotte. She flung herself onto me and we hugged till we'd squeezed the air out of each other.

"I can't believe that you're here, you toe rag. What are you doing here? Mr Shakespeare not good enough for you?"

"No, I'm just up for the weekend. What are you doing here? I thought you were off home doing a summer job at you dad's place or something."

"I was, but I jacked it in. Decided to come up for the festival and maybe get some work here for a few weeks." She handed me a leaflet with the name of some obscure company doing an even more obscure production. "I'm not in it" she assured me. "Just handing out the flyers."

"Ah hum." Tom politely coughed.

"Tom." She said warmly. "Sorry darling, I'm just so taken aback to see you guys." They hugged. "I've been meaning to call you since I got in last week, but, well you know how it is. Who's your friend?" She asked looking at Jamie for the first time.

Jamie introduced himself and I explained to him that Lottie was a friend from uni who was on my theatre course.

"We're just about to go off for some lunch, there's plenty if you want to join us."

"I'm supposed to be doing this." She replied waving the leaflets at me. She looked around and spotted a crowd of people cameras clicking away up at the castle and approached them.

"Hi there. You're up for the festival?" They stared blankly at her. "Of course you are" Continued Lottie unfazed. "There's a great play that you really shouldn't miss. Here have a leaflet, the directions to get there are on the back and you can get tickets from the festival office or at the door. Actually take some more and give them to your friends, you'll regret it if you don't." She handed them the rest of her flyers to the bemused tourists and turned back to us. "Okay job done, let's eat."

On the way Lottie asked Jamie how he got his black eye and we told her of the events of the night before. She was visibly shocked by the story and made a point of mothering Jamie for the rest of the walk up to Carlton Hill. When we got there we found the place was full of tourists, but we managed to find a spot to sit that was away from the main crowds. We chatted as we drank and ate, catching up on the gossip and what we've been up to since uni broke up for the summer.

"So you see I just couldn't get into the part of filing clerk at my fathers office, I gave it a good couple of weeks, then decided that I should try out for a more challenging role."

"Lottie, you're so crap, you've got less work ethic than Martine McCutcheon. Two weeks! It's just a temp job to get you through the summer, not a lifetimes commitment."

"That's as maybe Andy, but what's the point in doing something that I hate? Much better to have a bit of fun during the summer, recharge the batteries for the next year in uni and if I can earn any money at it all the better. It's all right for you Mr big break at the RSC; some of us would kill for your summer job. I still might. Kill you that is."

"Oh but Lottie, I got into the RSC on pure talent."

"Well if sleeping with the producer is what they're calling talent these days I'm better off where I am."

"You're just sore that you'd not get past the casting couch."

"Of course I wouldn't, not with the `Gay Mafia' in control of everything."

This was often the way that Lottie and I would snipe at each other just a bit of harmless fun. We both knew that there was no love loss, but each of us was determined to have the last word. This time I got it with "Chin up darling. Both of them!"

"So Tom" Said Charlotte changing the subject with a mischievous look in her eye. "You're up here for the summer, Andy's hundreds of miles away and you have a gorgeous house boy, you can't tell me that you're not shagging him. I mean look at him, who wouldn't? He's lovely, blond hair, come to bed blue eyes, okay he's a bit young..."

"Hey!" Jamie exclaimed.

"No offence sweetie, but which pokemon would you choose?"

"When you're done with your meat market appraisal of Jamie you might actually get that not all people share your gutter standards. Of course I'm not sleeping with him." I couldn't help notice a slight irritation in Tom's voice. Sometimes I don't think that he gets her quite like I do. She was doing what she does best, stirring.

She went on unfazed by Tom's rebuff. "All I'm saying that it's nice that you and Andy have each other. Nice, but boring. With you two playing the married couple there's no fun. So young Jamie, do you have a boyfriend?"

"No, there was someone special a while back." I noticed that his gaze switched very rapidly from mine as he went on.

"Go on" Lottie gestured.

"See that's how I like my gay men, no strings attached. If you two are not careful I'll apply for a transfer. I want to be Jamie's fag hag, he knows how to have fun."

"Be my guest." Retorted Tom.

"Well at least you finally admit to being a fag hag. Darling you know that recognition of your problem is the first step to cure. Who knows one day you might actually get a life of your own instead of trying to ruin ours."

She took a swipe at me.

"Besides," Jamie chipped in. "aren't you a bit old to be my fag hag? It would be like hanging round with my mother."

Tom and I both laughed and despite herself Lottie did also.

"I like you Jamie. We should go out for a drink sometime. But not on a school night."

I nearly choked on my beer at that one. I could see that Lottie and Jamie were going to become good friends.

"So where are you staying?" Tom asked Lottie changing the subject.

"I'm sharing a flat in Morningside with some people from the fringe office. I say flat, it's more like a derelict squat. But it's cheap and the cockroaches mostly keep to their side of the room."

Tom looked at me and I guess we had a shared thought. I nodded back to him.

"Oh god I can't believe that I'm going to say this, but we've got another spare room, if you want you can stay with me and Jamie for the rest of the summer."

"Really? No, I couldn't."

"Come on Charlotte, I'm going back down south tomorrow, who else can I trust to give Tom a hard time when I'm back in Stratford?"

"I'd love to, but I couldn't really afford to live there."

"Lottie, like I said, there's a room going spare, why would I be asking for any rent?"

"Really Tom? You mean it?"

"More than it pains me to say. How about we get your stuff tomorrow after we drop Andy off at the station?"

Well this was a first, Lottie lost for words.

I looked over at Jamie and asked, "You okay with that Jame? After all you're going to have to put up with these two for the next month."

He smiled. "Yeah, I don't mind hanging with the old folks once in a while."

"Three years Jamie, three years. Doesn't exactly put us in the old folk home yet." I fired back at him.

"Yeah, but 19 seems so old, I just don't want to get stuck pushing the wheelchairs about."

"Come here you cheeky brat." Tom called out as Jamie made a start to get up and run. Tom grabbed my hand and pulled me up and we gave chase, running around assorted tourists and picnickers. As we chased him back to where Lottie and our stuff was, Tom rugby tackled Jamie to the ground then sat on his chest. Jamie winced slightly as he was still bruised but he was also laughing as Tom playfully slapped his face a few times.

"You give up?"

"No!"

I sat back down next to Charlotte and the both of us enjoyed the rest of the show.

"Give up?" Asked Tom again after tickling Jamie until he was squirming.

"Okay, okay I give up."

"Say sorry."

"Sorry."

"Who's the best?"

"You are."

"And don't forget it."

Tom climbed off Jamie with a look of triumph in his face. He stood up and lifted his arms in the air and shouted, "I'm the king of the world." And for that brief second he was. That was until Jamie sneaked up behind him and pulled his track bottoms down to his knees. The three of us, Jamie, Lottie and I pissed ourselves laughing.

"Hey." Said Tom to me "Aren't you supposed to be on my side?"

"I was. Right up till Jamie reminded me that you were wearing a pair of those dork shorts you don't seem to be able to get rid off."

"Okay," Tom pulled his track bottoms back up. "I'm being victimised for my choice of underwear, yet again." He sat down next to me and made a very audible huff sound.

"You said it." I replied and put my arm round him.

"See what you need is something like this." Laughed Jamie while undoing his jeans and letting them fall to his ankles revealing the same black PVC thong that he had on this morning. He gyrated his hips a couple of times and then practically shoved his arse in Tom's face.

Again Lottie and I cracked up. Jamie pulled his jeans back up then sat down. We spent the next hour or so joking around, chatting with each other and generally relaxing in the warm summer sunshine.

"So where shall we go now?" Asked Jamie after a brief lull in the conversation, obviously incapable of staying still for too long. "How about we get down to the pub? Or check out some of the street entertainment going on for the festival, or maybe we could go back home, change and then head off somewhere?"

Tom looked at his watch, at me, then at Jamie. "Don't take this the wrong way Jamie but Andy and I really need some us time." Jamie looked down at the ground. "It's just that Andy's off tomorrow and we've hardly had any alone time, you understand?"

"Of course." He mumbled.

I felt for Jamie, but as much as I loved hanging out with him I also knew that Tom and I wouldn't see each other until at least the end of August and I really wanted to make as much of the time that we had together. Okay, yes, I was horny too.

Lottie also picked up on Jamie's disappointment and said. "Well I guess that leaves you and me then. Personally I'm skint, so fancy a bit of window shopping?"

Jamie's face lit up. "Okay, then maybe we can head out to a bar?"

"Sounds good. I've got an idea, let's head in the direction of the Fringe office and see if we can get some freebie tickets to a show for later tonight. That gives the happy couple enough time to do whatever depraved acts that they need to and then join us for a bit of culture."

Sounded like a plan.

"Sure you're okay with that Jamie?" Tom asked.

"Aye, course."

Lottie and I started packing our rubbish away as Tom and Jamie stood up. Tom pulled him into a hug, then said "So, Andy reckons that you're a good kisser."

Jamie smiled at him. The next thing I knew they were kissing.

"Hey, hey, Tom, boyfriend here getting jealous." I joked.

They pulled apart. "I thought that you wanted me to be more at ease with public displays of affection."

"Yeah, with me."

"Oh you'll get yours. Count on that."

With our stuff packed away the four of us made our way down Carlton Hill and said our `see you laters' then split. Jamie and Lottie heading off in the direction of the old town I heard Lottie say to Jamie "So you've known Tom a long time then? Bet you've got some great stories to tell me that I can use against him next year at uni."

I smirked at Tom, but we were out of earshot to hear the reply.

*****

"So do you reckon that Jamie's okay now" Tom asked as we were walking back to the flat.

"How do you mean?"

"Well what with everything that happened with his brother earlier, he seems okay, but you can never tell with him."

"For someone you've known for a long time you're really crap at reading him aren't you."

"What? How can you say that?"

"He's hurting, you can see it in his eyes."

"But he does know that I am sorry about calling his mother."

"Yeah, of course he does. But that's not what I'm talking about. My guess is that he's confused."

"What about?"

"Open your eyes Tom, about us. I mean he knows the score, but I don't think that he's dealing with it well."

"So you're saying that he's still got feelings about you from last Christmas?"

"And you for most of his life. C'mon you can't tell me that you didn't know?"

Tom looked at me and shrugged, then said quietly "maybe."

"I think the main question is how do we deal with it? I don't want to see him hurt."

"Neither do I. But I don't see that there is anything we can do, apart from just being his friends."

"Or just take turns at shagging his arse off."

"What!!?"

"Joke! Don't look at me like that."

"Your sense of humour will be the death of me, I swear."

"But you've got to admit, he's a good kisser. Not bad in bed too." Okay, so yep my sense of humour sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. But I have to admit that at the same time I was thinking if it was possible to love more than one person at a time.

Okay, so maybe substitute the word love for lust and we're probably nearer the mark. With Tom I could see that I've got pretty much everything in a soul mate, he fulfils just about all I could hope for and more. I look at him and see my world. Yep, love is a word that would come fairly close to what I feel about Tom. With Jamie, well yes I care about him, I see him as a good friend. I definitely lust after him, but that's about it. He is someone I am glad to know, but it could never be more than that, if it were I'd risk loosing Tom. Life isn't really that complicated, it's just about dealing with all the choices on offer. Nah, maybe not. Just reading that back I think it sounded like one of those crap thoughts for the day that they print in newspapers.

When we got back to the flat Tom unlocked the door and held it open for me. I was putting our bags down when he grabbed me from behind and placed a kiss on my neck. I turned round and kissed him back. Locked in our embrace suddenly he pushed me up against the wall, holding both my arms against it he grinned and said.

"So, you think Jamie's a good kisser then."

"Yeah, he's pretty good." I answered, craning my neck forward to kiss him again. He moved back so I couldn't reach him and smiled. "But I seem to remember not more than half an hour ago you were the one who was kissing him. Maybe I should be asking you the same question."

"Better than me?" He asked ignoring the second part of my statement.

I looked blankly at him and said "No."

"You had to think for a moment. Maybe you need some more reminding."

He leaned in and started kissing my neck, on of my most sensitive zones. I felt a tingle of electricity pulse through me as he continued kissing his way up. The small gentle pecks became more and more intense as he moved across my face towards my lips. I opened my mouth to let his tongue in, while at the same time he let go of one of my arms and started tugging at the button of my jeans. Once opened he let my other arm go and I lifted my tee up and off while he carried on kissing his way down.

Still backed up against the wall I pulled up forward so that Tom could pull my jeans down. He placed his hands on my cotton covered arse and moved in closer to my stiffy covered in the white cotton of the old pair of briefs that I was wearing. I ran my hands through his short dark hair and he looked up at me with his gorgeous blue eyes and smiled. Still looking up at me he moved in close to my bulge and covered it with his mouth. I could feel his tongue licking me through the cotton and it was sending me wild.

"Yeah, Oh Tom. That feels so good."

I don't think he heard me, or maybe I said it in my mind. Who can tell? My hands still at the back of his head I pulled him in even closer and he took more of my package in. Tom pulled the back of my briefs down and started running his fingers up and down my crack, this adding more and more to the sensations running through my brain, I knew that if he didn't back off soon I'd cream. My briefs were damp with my pre-cum and his saliva; they must have started to feel like a barrier to Tom, he pulled away, giving me a small breather and enough time to calm it a bit. Then he pulled them down and my erection sprang free from its cotton confines. I stepped out of them and kicked them aside along with my discarded jeans.

"Who's the best?" He asked smiling up at me.

"Finish the job and I'll tell you." I panted.

He took hold of my dick with one hand and started licking at it. Smearing my pre-cum over my helmet with his tongue. With his other hand he started playing around with my balls, gently squeezing and stroking them.

I fell back slightly almost loosing my balance as his licked up and down my shaft. Luckily the wall was there to support me; I steadied myself then Tom suddenly stood up.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Nothing." He replied taking my hand and leading me over to the sofa and pushing me down on it.

I sat up and reached out for Tom's hand which he offered. We linked our fingers and I pulled him down on top of me. Then he slid down so that he was back finishing what he started. He took hold of my dick again and this time there was no play, he went straight down on me. I loved the feeling of the moist warmth coming from his mouth as he took me all the way. Bucking my hips, fucking his face, as I drew nearer and nearer to my climax.

It could feel myself boiling over and tensing up. Tom felt it also and worked away even faster building me higher and higher until the moment when I shot my load several times down his throat, then he backed off slightly and used his soft lips to milk off the remaining fluid.

"Well?" Tom asked after getting up and sitting down on the couch next to me.

"There was never any doubt in my mind." I kissed him, the taste of my salty emission still on his lips. "Ego satisfied now?" I asked.

"Totally." We kissed again, passionately and for a long time.

"Your turn."

I leaned over to kiss him, long and drawn out, I loved the feel of his soft lips, his tongue exploring the insides of my mouth. I caressed his chest with my hand as it headed down to the elastic waistband of his track bottoms; I slid it under and took hold of his hardness, Tom groaning with every stroke.

I pulled his track bottoms and shorts down in one move and got him to turn round so he was showing off his tight buns. Laid out on the couch I knelt over him, hand over each cheek I leaned in and took in his manly scent. I pulled his cheeks apart and started to lick in between them and up to the small of his back. Every move I made was greeted with Tom bucking in pure pleasure.

"Oh yeah, that's so good. Don't stop. Don't stop."

He crawled up on all fours and while my tongue was probing deeper inside his hot passage my hand was groping for his dick. Harder and faster I jacked him, like there was going to be no tomorrow.

We pulled apart when the phone started to ring.

"Leave it" Tom said, as I was about to reach over and take the call. "Let the answer phone get it."

"Ah call screening, I just love modern technology."

The answer phone clicked and Toms' voice crackled over the speaker.

>>Hi there's no one in to take your call at the moment. Please leave a message after the tone.<<

I went back to the job in hand, jerking Tom off, trying not to be distracted by the phone.

>>"We know what you're doing. We know what you're doing."<< It was Jamie and Lottie screaming at the tops of their voices in what sounded like a crowded pub.

I felt Tom's nuts tighten and body stiffen just before his release.

>>"Lottie's just blagged some free tickets from the fringe office to some play, so when you get this message get your arses in gear and get down to Frenchies on Rose Street. We'll be here till half seven then we're making our way whether you're both here or not.<<

When he shot we both collapsed on the sofa catching our breaths.

>>"Give me that." I heard Lottie say in the background. "Look we know that you're both just being boring and probably watching telly, so get on down here and let's have some fun."<<

The phone clicked off, Tom and I looked at each other.

"That gives us about half an hour." I said looking over at the clock on the wall.

"Or we could just stay in and be boring. Personally I don't like either of those options."

"Oh?"

"Well I was rather hoping that we could spend the evening making love to each other."

"I don't know. The pub and theatre might be more fun."

"Really?" He smiled. "Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Just close them and open your mouth."

I did as he instructed, wondering what he had in mind. I felt him move and reach down for something, then a second later he placed his hand at the back of my head and I felt him push something soft into my mouth. I opened my eyes to see him grinning away while trying to force his boxer shorts into my mouth. I thought I recognised the taste.

"Not moaning about my shorts now are you. So what's it to be? Night out at the theatre or shall we make our own entertainment?"

"Option number three gets my vote." I replied after pulling his shorts out of my mouth.

"I'll get the lube." He said jumping off the sofa heading upstairs with a big grin on his face and his dick flaccid from release only moments ago was now hardening as he ran up the stairs two at a time. I went over to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge and as an after thought I took out a tub of Ben and Jerry's from the freezer and followed him up as fast as I could, my own hard on pointing the way.