Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 20:00:02 -0700 From: Roy Subject: Phalen - Finding Happiness - Chapter 3 This story is entirely fictional, and any resemblances to actual persons are completely coincidental. Actual locations are mentioned, and are used for 'background' only. 'Phalen - Finding Happiness' Chapter three by Roy Reinikainen Jeff rolled his head to one side and squinted into the bright morning sunlight, grinning at the sound of Phalen's grumbling as he groggily dragged himself around the kitchen waiting for the coffee to brew. Jeff had only just finished his morning swim and was lying back on a lounge chair on the patio catching his breath and letting the warm dry air soothe him. It was as much a morning ritual with him as Phalen's cup of coffee was to him. He glanced down at his finger admiring the pattern incised into the gold band of the ring Phalen had given him the day before. It was a beautiful piece of artwork, and it surprised him how much the ring, and Phalen's gesture in giving it to him, meant. In the time they had lived together, it had become rare for Phalen to be overcome by his emotions as he often had early in their relationship. As Jeff had recovered from *his* childhood abuse, so had Phalen recovered from the emotional turmoil surrounding his parents' unhappy marriage, as well as his mother's abrupt disappearance. Yesterday had been an exception. After he handed Jeff the box containing the ring he had bit his lower lip, struggling to hold back his tears, and was successful until Jeff had hugged him, thanking him for the beautiful gift. Phalen rested his head on Jeff's shoulders and held him tightly as he cried. "I'm so happy," he murmured, close to Jeff's ear. Eventually, he turned away and sniffed, wiping his eyes. When he looked back it was with red eyes, blotchy cheeks, and an embarrassed smile. "I'm acting like a kid," he groused. "All someone has to do is shout, 'Phalen . . . cry,' and I start bawling like a baby. My emotions are so close to the surface, it's . . . it's painful." Jeff once again took him in his arms and after a short while Phalen kissed him on the neck reporting himself, "recovered." "Thank you for not making fun of me, Jeff. Sometimes, I feel like an adult, and then I go and do something like that." He grinned and gave Jeff a quick peck on the nose. "I remember always wanting to grow up so I could be just like Dad. I finally figured out that was never going to happen. Now that I've discovered what it means to be Phalen, I'm wanting to put off the adult-thing a little longer. Most adults are soooo serious. I don't want to be like them." He shuddered and then grinned. "Stupid, huh?" Before Jeff had an opportunity to answer, Phalen's eyes brightened and he turned and ran into the kitchen. "I know I can't handle liquor," he shouted as Jeff followed him and leaned on the kitchen island, watching him rummage in one of the kitchen drawers. He held up a corkscrew causing Jeff to grin. "But, I figured today was a special day and I wanted to have some champagne so we could celebrate. Besides, it won't be long and Greg'll be here and we won't have much time alone. Can *he* handle his liquor?" Jeff shrugged as Phalen pulled out a bottle of champagne after hunting about in the refrigerator. He pushed the refrigerator door closed with his hip and held out a bottle for Jeff to inspect, looking worried. "Is this an okay kind?" He set the bottle on the counter and grabbed the corkscrew with a determined look on his face. "I asked Dad to haul me along so he could buy it." Phalen grinned. "He wanted to know what the special occasion was but I wouldn't tell. After all, I can't tell him *all* my secrets. He gave me one of his *looks.* You know the kind? It's where he lowers his eyebrows and tries to look menacing." Phalen waved a hand, dismissing his father's attempt to find out what the champagne was for. "His tough act never works with me. After a second try he gave up and told me this brand, 'would do.'" Phalen made an exasperated face and then resumed speaking in his normal voice after trying to imitate his father's lower voice, telling him what he thought of the champagne. "I told him it had better *do,* 'cause it was all I could afford." He lowered his brows and studied the bottle before his bright smile once again appeared. "I had no idea this stuff could get so expensive." He unwrapped the foil covering and seemed puzzled by the wire cage wrapping the cork. "I guess you don't need a corkscrew for this kind, huh?" Jeff grinned as he shook his head and then demonstrated how to open the bottle. Phalen stood nearby, obviously impressed as Jeff draped a towel over the bottle and eased the cork out with the only sound, a muffled sigh of escaping carbonation. "I thought there was supposed to be a loud pop and a lot of fizz." Jeff shook his head. "Not if it's done correctly. Besides, when it foams, it means some of the champagne's lost. We don't want that." "Geez, I'd have had it squirting everywhere just 'cause I thought it should." Phalen became serious, holding the delicate glass with its golden contents out for a toast. He looked from the glass to Jeff for a moment as he bit his lower lip. "To Jeff, the guy who's carrying around my expressions of love on his finger." His voice wavered slightly as he spoke, but he made it through his toast and touched Jeff's glass with his, finishing with the traditional Finnish toast. "Kippis." Jeff repeated the word and smiled as Phalen watched him over the rim of the glass. Jeff lay on the lounge chair thinking back to the long night. They each had drunk more champagne than they should have and ended up laughing and acting silly as they tried to dance to some slow music in the fire-lit room. "Stop stepping on my toes," Phalen giggled, nudging Jeff, in an attempt to make him behave. "You're trying to lead. It's my turn. 'Member, we agreed? You better watch it. I'm an athlete." He stopped a moment to strip off his t-shirt and flexed a bicep. He frowned and tried the other arm before he looked back at Jeff in disappointment. "Very strange. They were there yesterday." He shrieked with laughter when Jeff lunged at him and forced him down onto the thick rug. Phalen promptly scrambled away, landing on his knees, straddling Jeff's waist. His shout of triumph was interrupted when Jeff threw him off. He landed on his back with an umph of expelled breath and then held out his arms inviting Jeff to lie on top of him. "I surrender," he managed to say. "I'm yours." Jeff paused a moment to watch the flickering light from the fire play over Phalen's bare chest before making a sound deep in his throat and gently easing himself into the embrace. "You're a lousy dancer," Phalen murmured close to his ear. "Even so, I think I'll keep you." "Why's that? Is it because of my dashing good looks, or the fact that I can cook?" Jeff ground his groin against Phalen, feeling the erection beneath him respond. He leaned closer and licked across Phalen's lips before they began a lengthy kiss. "Want the truth?" Phalen's words were not much more than a whisper of breath against Jeff's face. "Ummm humm," Jeff murmured, nuzzling Phalen's ear. "Those things are nice, but I've loved you from the day I met you and you couldn't think what to say once we shook hands. It's sorta like my real life began on that day." He tightened his embrace, slowly rubbing the palms of his hands over Jeff's bare back, down to the swell of his buttocks. "Everything that happened to me before we met was just preparing me for you." "Thank you, lover," Jeff murmured, kissing his way over Phalen's jaw. "I'm not about to let you go, either. And, don't try and be someone you're not. I enjoy the person who doesn't think of himself as an adult. I'm in love with his laughter, and the way he always seems to know what to say to make someone feel better." He looked into Phalen's blue eyes. "*And*, I think you're extremely cute." Now it was morning, and the energetic man of the night before was gone, replaced by a person who hated mornings, a man who couldn't think until he finished at least one cup of very strong coffee. Jeff continued to watch trying not to smile as Phalen yawned. He ran his fingers through his short black hair, spiky from sleep, as he slowly walked out onto the patio, squinting at the bright sunlight taking another drink from his personalized extra large cup. He absently scratched his pubes as he walked to where Jeff was lying and looked down with a bleary-eyed expression. "Beautiful day isn't it, lover," Jeff asked in a cheerful voice, looking up at Phalen with a bright smile. "You're especially handsome this morning." Phalen briefly crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue before he plopped down on a nearby chair with an umph. "Why were mornings invented," he groaned. Before Jeff could say anything, he amended his question. "No, I should have asked why people who are *perky* in the morning were invented." He nudged Jeff with his bare foot, giving him a lopsided grin. "Guess who I'm talking about?" He took another long swallow of coffee and then stared mournfully into an apparently empty cup. Finally, he set the cup on the nearby table and sighed. Before long, a smile played at the corners of his lips as he extended a leg and teased Jeff's foot with his toes. "Last night was pretty awesome, huh?" Jeff grinned and nodded, feeling a stirring in his groin as he remembered the feeling of Phalen's muscular body beneath him, as well as the furnace-like heat that surrounded his penis as he slid into Phalen. The second time was even better than the first. Phalen had wrapped his legs tightly around his waist, one minute urging him to thrust harder, the next minute, deeper. Neither of them ever lasted very long, and last night was no exception. The feeling of Phalen's throbbing erection trapped between their bodies, and the feeling of Phalen's anus grabbing at his cock, sent Jeff over the edge. He thrust once more and then paused as his erection pulsed, emptying deep into Phalen's hole. He slowly lowered himself onto Phalen and they kissed. When his penis slipped free he turned onto his side and scooted back against Phalen, who kissed his neck and murmured, "I love you," before quickly drifting off to sleep. Today, he sat on the chair and made a comical face. "I don't think I'm gonna walk right for at least a couple days." The face he made transformed into a brilliant smile and he squirmed slightly. "I love it. If people only knew *why* I walk funny from time to time, they would be soooo jealous." He took the few steps separating them and sat down next to Jeff, snuggling close and idly running his fingers through the trimmed hair on Jeff's chest while Jeff wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I wonder how Dad and Brad are doing." Jeff made a non-committal sound, enjoying the feeling of Phalen being close by. "They both want someone so bad," Phalen continued. He stopped moving his hand while he thought a moment. "I wonder if they're right for one another? One minute I think they are. The next, I'm not so sure." "Phaaaaalennn," Jeff murmured giving him a stern glare. "Stay out of things. They can handle their own lives." Phalen was silent and then Jeff could feel him chuckle. "You're right, big man. After all, I've got my hands full managing you." He rolled on top of Jeff and kissed him. "And both of us love every minute of it." ---------- David, Jeff's father, slowly closed the door to his and Margit's apartment with a stricken look on his face, mirroring the expression on his wife's. Mrs. Kriikko, a teacher from Jeff's old primary school had called earlier in the morning. She mentioned Jeff and Phalen had stopped by the school while they were on vacation, and how nice it was to have a student come back for a visit. "So few of them do," she said a little wistfully. She asked how Jeff and his friend were doing, and finally asked if she might speak to David and Margit about Jeff's visit to the school. Margit bowed her head and covered her face with her hands. "Oh, my poor baby," she said with a shaking voice. David crossed the room and perched on the arm of the large overstuffed chair in their living room and put his arm around his wife's shoulders, pulling her close. The two of them sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, not hearing the hum of traffic on the boulevard below, nor the sounds of laughter in the park across the street. "David," she said without looking up. "We can't stay here and behave as if nothing has happened. We have to go to Jeff . . . and apologize." She shook her head in an angry reaction to the news that Jeff had been abused by a teacher when he was a child. "I have to see both of my boys." "Mielitietty," David said affectionately, using the Finnish word for sweetheart. "Jeff has arrived at some measure of peace. Mrs. Kriikko said she believed he had banished his demons, and that knowing the men who did . . . that . . . to him, were imprisoned, seemed to set his mind at ease." "Before we visit, let's give Greg a little time to get settled. We'll also have the chance to think through our part in all this." He sighed and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "Not counting what those . . . *teachers* did." He almost spit the word. "The bulk of the responsibility for what happened to Jeff lies on our shoulders. We suspected *something* had happened, but we didn't do . . . enough." David's voice trailed off. Suddenly, he looked up, speaking louder. "But *he* must assume some responsibility too." David stood abruptly. "Damn it, Margit. Both of our boys took the Finnish concept of sisu, of being self reliant, to the extreme!" His eyes flashed. "I am angry." He took three quick steps across the room, and then turned back to her. "I'm angry at those bastards who hurt Jeff. I'm angry with us, that we didn't have the courage to confront him about our suspicions, even when the school people told us they were confident nothing improper had happened." He raised his arms from his sides. "I'm angry with *all* of those people who never told us that they discovered something *had* happened. *Something* could have been done to help Jeff. And, I'm angry with Jeff for being so damned stubborn." He slumped into an easy chair and brushed a hand over his face before continuing to speak in a defeated voice. "And, we don't know what part Greg plays in all this, if any. You heard, him, Margit. He said he wanted to go the States to find happiness. What was keeping him from finding it here?" He pounded the arm of the easy chair a single time with a fist. "I'm angry. I want to hit something. Those *teachers* would be a good start." He leaned back in the chair. His anger suddenly drained away and he looked at his wife with a miserable expression. "Most of all, Margit, I'm sorry that *our* relationship wasn't strong enough to protect our boy." Margit stood and crossed the room, perching on the arm of the chair and gently rubbing her husband's shoulders. "That is precisely why we have to see Jeff and do whatever we can to make things right. It took us years, David, but we finally discovered the love and peace most married people have from before they're married. It's something Jeff and Phalen already have. I think Greg saw that happiness and went looking for it for himself." She took her husband's hand when he reached to his shoulder. "Rakastettu, we've found *our* happiness. Now that we know what happened to Jeff, we have to do whatever we can to make amends. Jeff may have banished *his* demons, but we have yet to banish ours." David looked up, continuing to hold his wife's hand. "You've never called me rakastettu before. Am I really your beloved?" She squeezed his hand and nodded. "Always." ---------- Larry jerked awake as the bedside telephone rang. Brad slept on with an arm draped across Larry's chest, oblivious to the sound. There was another ring. 'I absolutely *hate* mornings,' he thought, as he managed to reach for the phone before it rang a third time. "Hullo," he croaked, praying it wasn't someone from work calling to ask him to come in and take care of a last minute problem which could have been handled during normal working hours. He and Brad had not been able to see nearly enough of one another since Brad moved in. Something always interfered. Either it was Brad's job at the architecture school, where he was planning a series of seminars for incoming freshmen, or *his* job. "I've about had my fill of that place," Larry grumbled the night before, as he dropped his briefcase on a living room chair after coming home from a long day. "I might as well set up a bed down there, I'm away so much." "I should come visit you sometime when you're not too busy," Brad had teased as he wrapped Larry in a tight embrace. "Maybe we could do something that would shock the socks off 'em." He chuckled a moment before they kissed. He could immediately feel Larry's tension ease to be replaced by increasing passion. The first kiss led to another, and then another. Brad pulled away long enough to turn off the living room lights, and then led Larry down the hallway to the bedroom. "Well counselor, tonight you're all mine. No one's going to bother us." He helped Larry off with his suit coat, hanging it over the back of a chair. When he turned back, Larry had already gotten rid of his tie and had his shirt half unbuttoned. He looked at Brad with a longing in his eyes Brad was still not accustomed to. He found it difficult to look at Larry when he was wearing that expression. It was as if he were unaware how his eyes were revealing the depth of his feelings. Larry tossed his shirt aside and smiled, flashing his dimples. "Well, don't just watch me," he grinned as he slipped his shoes off and then dropped his slacks and underwear in one move, leaving them in a puddle on the carpeted floor. He quickly took the few steps separating him from Brad and waved a hand in front of Brad's face, causing him to smile. "What are you looking at? You've seen me naked before." He leaned forward and began to nibble on one of Brad's nipples through the fabric of his t-shirt. There was a slight shiver and then the feeling of Brad's hand on the back of his head, pulling him closer. "You are so sexy," he said in a half-groan, as Larry continued to work on a nipple with his mouth. Brad backed away and quickly stepped out of his running shorts and stripped off his tight t-shirt, dropping it to the floor. Larry fell to his knees and began nuzzling Brad's scrotum, urging him to spread his legs wider. His erection bobbed as Larry first took one smooth testicle into his mouth, then the other, moaning with pleasure. Brad leaned forward and noticed his and Larry's reflection in the large windows facing the back yard. The darkness outside combined with the bedroom lights turned the windows into a full-length mirror. He not only felt Larry begin to work his way back from his balls, he could also watch the reflection. It was like watching a porn video, and feeling exactly what was happening to the actors. Larry lay on his back. "Squat on my tongue," he urged, grabbing at Brad, trying to convey his urgency. "Let me get your butt hole nice and wet." If he was going to say more, the sound was muffled as Brad squatted on his tongue. He rocked back and forth slightly, while trying to spread his cheeks wider to allow Larry deeper access. "What are ya gonna do, Larry? Why d'ya want me all wet," he groaned, as Larry slapped one of his butt cheeks with a sharp smack. "Gonna fuck your hole, stud," Larry managed to say. "Gonna ride you long and hard." He took a couple more laps across Brad's anus. "Then, I'm gonna fill your butt hole so full you won't be able to hold it all." There was another smack of Larry's hand, this time on the opposite cheek. "You gonna fill me like last time," Brad breathed a sigh and reached for Larry's erection, tenderly running his fingertips up and down its length. "Yeah, man. Then, I'm gonna suck you dry." Brad tightened his ass hole, grasping at Larry's tongue. Larry's erection rested on his own stomach, jumping in anticipation. Brad tweaked Larry's nipples and simultaneously tightened his sphincter in an attempt to capture the invading tongue, causing Larry to squirm and groan beneath him. Brad stood and turned to offer Larry a hand. "I'm wet enough. Now, put your dick where your mouth was." He gave Larry a deep kiss while he ran both of his hands over Larry's back, and then down to his butt cheeks. He could feel the muscles flex beneath his fingers, hinting at the power that would soon be used to penetrate him. Brad watched Larry reach out to the nightstand and dim the room lights. 'What a wonderful body,' he thought, climbing onto the bed, 'so long and lean.' Larry's erection stiffly stood out from a dense bed of black pubic hair. Brad took Larry's hand and held him still as he first licked across the end of Larry's penis, gathering up the clear strand of pre cum dangling from its tip, and then took the entire thing down his throat. Larry hissed in response, grasping either side of Brad's head and slowly slid back and forth over Brad's tongue. After a few minutes, Larry's erection slid free still connected to Brad's mouth with a strand of saliva. "C'mon, Larry, put that thing where it belongs." Brad positioned himself on his knees, but Larry gently pushed him onto his side and crawled onto the bed behind him, guiding his erection to Brad's pucker. Larry knew what Brad wanted, and gave it to him, sliding his long erection into Brad in one smooth move. Brad pushed back, thrilled with the feeling of having Larry inside him. Brad opened his eyes as Larry reached over and began fondling Brad's erection, and saw that there was still enough light in the room for the windows to act like a mirror. His erection jumped in Larry's hand when he realized he could see the reflection of Larry's penis penetrating him. The sight of Larry's cock stretching his hole to its limits, stimulating his prostate; the feeling of Larry's hand pumping his cock, the sounds of Larry's breathless movements, and finally the feeling of Larry's lips and tongue working on the back of his neck was too much. "'Bout there," he grunted, watching each of Larry's movements in the window. "C'mon, man, fill my hole." Brad could feel his orgasm begin where Larry's erection rubbed across his prostate. In only an instant the feeling spread throughout his groin as his penis expanded to its maximum. He tightened his anus around Larry's cock, took a deep breath, and shot a stream of sperm across the bedclothes. The feeling of Brad's slick hot sperm running over his hand, combined with Brad's tight grip on his cock sent Larry over the edge. He groaned loudly and pulled Brad closer to him as his cock began to pulse, doing just as he had promised, filling Brad to overflowing. "Oh man," Larry sighed against the back of Brad's neck before he kissed his earlobe. "That was wonderful." "As always," Brad chuckled, pulling away from Larry and then turning over to face him. He grabbed the hand Larry had been masturbating him with, licked it clean, and then pulled his face close so they could kiss and share what Brad had cleaned up. Eventually they parted and Brad lay back, his head cradled in the soft white pillows. "I have never felt loved in the same way you make me feel, Larry." He gently kissed Larry's cheek, then his mouth. "Not only the way you fuck, but the way you treat me." They kissed once more. "It's wonderful. You're wonderful." Larry cuddled closer, and ran a hand over Brad's chest and then over the smooth skin of his stomach, ending in his pubes, and whispered in Brad's ear. "I'm glad you're happy." Brad smiled a dreamy sort of smile and then pulled Larry closer. "I've never been happier," he murmured, already more than half asleep. "Ever." In only seconds, he was asleep, breathing in a slow steady rhythm. He murmured something unintelligible and tried to cuddle closer. It was a long while before Larry could go to sleep. 'Oh, my wonderful Brad,' he thought. 'What are we to one another? I so want to love you . . . and have you love me.' He gently kissed Brad's cheek before he reached out to the nightstand and turned off the light. Now, suddenly it was daytime and he had the phone in his hand. "Dad?" It was Phalen. 'He knows not to call before nine in the morning on Saturday,' was Larry's first thought. He blinked once, still not totally awake, and tried to focus on the clock. "It's *noon*," he almost shouted, and was answered by Phalen's laugh. "Musta been a busy night." Larry flopped onto his back, holding the phone to his ear and couldn't help but smile as he turned his head slightly to look at Brad, who was still blissfully asleep. "Dad?" Larry cleared his throat. "Yes, Phalen, it was a busy day. I worked late, and then Brad and I played until . . . geez, I don't know. He's still asleep only inches from me, though how he can sleep with the phone ringing and me talking, I don't know." "Awesome. So . . . are you guys good together? Ya think he's the one?" He could almost see Phalen's eager expression and bright smile. "Phaaaalen . . ." Larry drew out the word. "Oh, okay, I won't ask what you guys did, but you know you're probably stunting my intellectual growth . . . or something, by not telling me everything. Besides, I think it's so hot to think of the two of you nekkid together." "It's naked, not nekkid." "Yeah, I know. I think it's so cool to imagine you guys that way." He chuckled a moment. Larry could hear Jeff call Phalen's name from the background, asking if he was ready. "Well, glad that you guys are having fun," he continued. "I was just calling to tell you we're on our way to the airport to pick up Jeff's brother." "Are you ready for another house guest? I mean, you guys haven't had much time alone lately." "Yeah, well . . . Greg's cool. Jeff's not so sure of things, but he's just worried 'cause Greg's his big brother and he wants things to be perfect for him. They really never were very close, and he's wondering exactly what he's gotten himself in for by inviting Greg to stay with us." Larry could hear Jeff call again. "Well, I gotta go, the big man's calling. I keep telling him things will be cool, but he likes to worry." "Yeah, I know. So, you like Greg?" "Yeah, I guess. I haven't really been around him that much. He's an awful lot like Jeff, though Jeff is a lot more laid back. Oops, sorry, I gotta go, he's standing over me trying to look mean." He giggled. "I'm soooo scared. Bye, Dad. Hi to Brad . . . whenever he wakes up." Larry replaced the phone, turning off the ringer with a satisfied expression before he cuddled close, resting his head on Brad's shoulder and an arm over his chest. ---------- Greg looked out of the window as the plane approached the Phoenix airport. 'Everything's so brown,' he thought, comparing the countryside with that of Finland. The city seemed to stretch to the horizon, a mass of tightly packed houses punctuated with small dots of green. 'Palm trees, I guess." He studied the city below him more closely. 'And, there's no water.' He leaned back in his seat and gave the flight attendant a distracted smile, wondering for the hundredth time if he was doing the right thing by coming to the States. He knew he was committed to his decision, yet . . . He was worn out by spending hours in flight, and now the most difficult part of his trip was set to begin. He was going to have to fit into an entirely new environment . . . one where both Jeff and Phalen knew his secret. Phalen had jokingly told him on the telephone that they'd line up some potential boyfriends for him. He had laughed along with Phalen. Who could help but laugh when speaking with Phalen? At the same time he shuddered, intensely aware of the disastrous attempts at finding a relationship he had been through back home. He rubbed the suddenly-sweaty palms of his hands on his pant legs, wondering if Phalen really had been joking about finding him a man. There was a lurch as the plane touched down, accompanied by a similar lurch in Greg's stomach. He grabbed at the seat's armrest. The woman sitting next to him noticed and grinned when he turned to her with an apologetic look. "I don't like flying," he muttered. "And, I've been doing it for the past fifteen hours." He gave her another distracted grin and turned back to the window as he once again wiped his hands over his pant legs. 'Jeff found what *he* was looking for,' Greg thought as the plane edged closer to the airport terminal. 'Maybe I will too.' He softly snorted. 'Hell, I'm not sure I'd know what I'm looking for if it landed at my feet and tripped me.' He grinned. 'Maybe if it was carrying a sign that it would wave in my face.' He slightly shook his head. 'I doubt even a sign would be enough for me. I'm probably going to end up having someone *tell* me to look at the person standing next to me and say, "Greg, you idiot, the guy next to you is *the one.*" Then, I'll break out in a cold sweat and stumble over myself as I try to think of something to say.' He thought a long moment as the passengers became restless to leave the plane. 'I hope there's some beer nearby if I ever met the guy. The more the better.' He heaved a sigh and once again wiped the palms of his hands on his pants, ignoring the amused look the woman in the next seat gave him. He looked at the airport terminal through the plane's window. 'I hope Phalen was joking about bringing some guys to the airport to greet me.' The passengers jostled as they made their way down the aisle. He watched them talking and laughing with one another, until he was left almost alone. He gathered his carry on bag from the overhead compartment and followed the last passenger off of the plane, wondering why he felt as if he were heading to the gallows. 'I'm exhausted,' he thought, trying not to slouch as he left the plane and headed through the jetway into the airport. ---------- "There he is, Jeff!" Phalen pointed to the dark-haired pale skinned man, who was wearing a frown and entirely too many clothes for the Phoenix climate. Greg seemed overwhelmed. He was grasping the strap of his shoulder bag, while a larger bag sat on the floor at his side. "Greg," Jeff called, waving and walking toward the jetway exit and the other passengers milling about. Greg looked up and once again Phalen was struck by how closely the two brothers resembled one another. The smile was the same. The way they moved was the same, and they had the same wonderful light baritone voice and the same soft accent. "Tervetuloa," Jeff said, embracing his brother, who seemed to sway slightly from the contact. "Tervetu . . . ," Phalen tried to pronounce the word as he glanced from Jeff to Greg. "It means welcome," Greg laughed, holding out a hand for Phalen to shake. Phalen glanced at the hand before ignoring it and giving Greg a hug just as Jeff had, thinking how similar hugging Greg was to hugging Jeff. "Then, the same thing for me," he said, smiling and backing up a step. "Welcome home." "That's what this is, isn't it," Greg asked, looking around at the large terminal. "I think I'm a little over dressed. It was getting cold back home." He slipped off his jacket and removed his necktie, rolling it up and stuffing it in a pocket of his jacket. "That's better." He smiled at Jeff but couldn't help himself as he fanned himself with a magazine he'd been carrying. "Is it always this warm?" Both Phalen and Jeff began laughing. "We're *inside* Greg. This is cool. Outside is where it's warm." He shook his head in disbelief. "I think I need to buy some new clothes." He grinned when Phalen picked up his bag and they began walking toward an exit. Greg turned first to Phalen and then to Jeff. "Thank you both, for your welcome, and for allowing me to stay with you for a while." He covered his mouth as he yawned. "You're going to have to forgive me, but my body's telling me it's the middle of tomorrow morning, and I haven't slept since before I left home." He grinned slightly as Jeff held the door open for him, and they walked outside into the autumn heat. "Holy shit," he muttered, noticing his brother's knowing smile. "Does it ever get hotter than this?" Jeff smiled and nodded. Greg ignored Phalen's laughter. "Now I *really* do want to go to sleep. Is your house cooler than this?" Jeff laughed and put his arm around his brother's shoulders. "It's good to have you here, Greg. Yes, our place is cooler. Maybe you'd like to go for a cool swim first." Greg paused a moment to roll up the sleeves of his long sleeved shirt. "Anything to get out of these clothes." He gave Phalen a curious glance. "Did I say something?" "I didn't know you were a nudist too." Greg glanced at Phalen and then Jeff and burst out laughing. "I never have been, but it's sounding better all the time." ~ to be continued ~ Thank you for taking the time to read my work. I *always* welcome your email and enjoy hearing your thoughts. If you would like me to send a pic of the character(s), please ask. In addition to the first 'Phalen' story, I have three other stories you may want to read. 'Leith,' and 'Chris' are located in the Nifty College Section. The third story is called 'Wesley', and is located in the Adult Relationships section. I hope you enjoy them all. Best wishes, Roy Reinikainen roynm@mac.com suomalainen_abq@mac.com