Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 01:35:37 EDT From: Double A Subject: Raven Hair(34) Disclaimer: After a hiatus of sorts, I am back with another story! Yay! Anyway, due to personal problems, I've been unable/unwilling to write much of anything for a long time. Here is a new story from me to you. For those of you who know my style and enjoy it, you should really like this one. Like I said, though, I haven't written anything for a while, so I may be a bit rusty. For those who don't know my style, I tend to use a lot of build-up and "storyline". So, if you came on to find a story for a quick jack-off, then this probably ain't for you. However, if you want to take the time to read a beautiful tale of young love, then sit back, take a sip from your glass of wine, and enjoy! And remember...Always stand up for what you think is right, don't listen to bullshit, no matter who is saying it, and always speak with your fists and swear a lot to be heard! ****************** Part 34: "Aaron," David said, turning to the beautiful teenager beside him, "do people ever look at you funny?" "What do you mean `look at me funny'?" Aaron asked. David shrugged, "I dunno. Sometimes, it seems that people are looking at me like I'm this total weirdo. Like, when some guys go out without shaving for a few days, and they wear raggedy clothing, it makes them look cool. Like, I had this really cute math teacher a few months ago, who always seemed to have this unshaven look, and he wore beige cargo pants and a white T-shirt. People thought he was just the coolest. When I try to do it, though, people look like they want to offer me spare change or something." Aaron shrugged, gently pushing the water around him with his hand, and replied, "Some people just seem to be able to carry a certain look better than others. For example, when I had long hair, I thought I would look really cool, but some people just thought I looked stupid. Others, like you and Alex, liked it, though." "Yeah," David said, "but it seems that I can't carry any look. When I dress like that, I look like a homeless guy. When I grow my hair long, I look retarded. When I try and go goth, I just look gay, and when I try to look gay, I end up looking like I'm making fun of them. No matter what I wear, or how I act, people seem to look at me funny." Aaron looked at David and smiled. It wasn't a smile of humour or friendliness. It was a smile of pity. "David," he said, "you know who you remind me of, almost exactly in every way?" "Who?" David asked. Aaron shrugged and said, "John Candy. You are almost totally identical to John Candy." David reeled somewhat, "Am I that fat?" Aaron still didn't show any sign of humour, "David, keeping in mind that you're my boyfriend and I love you, would you mind if I gave you an honest explanation of what I mean?" David sunk a little lower in the water, so only his head was above the water, "Okay. Shoot." Aaron sat up on a higher step and took a deep breath, then said, "David, you're not thin. I mean, you're not nearly as fat as John Candy was, but you're, what, 6 feet tall and 210 pounds?" "215." David mumbled. Aaron nodded, "Okay, now have you seen any of John Candy's movies?" "I've seen almost all of them." David replied. Aaron nodded, "Well, you are like how he was in almost all his movies, to some degree." David shrugged, beginning to feel really embarrassed. Aaron smiled, this time of genuine affection, and said, "David, you are sometimes annoying, occasionally overbearing, naive to a point, and you can be pretty rough around the edges, but in the end, you are one of the most lovable people I've ever known, just like he was. In `Uncle Buck', when he was sitting on the couch, vacuuming Frosted Flakes crumbs off his body with a Dustbuster, or during that phone call with his sister-in-law where he said that he fed the dog five times a day and let him drink the blue water out of the toilet...Well, I could so picture you doing those things. And, of course, the whole thing in `Planes, Trains and Automobiles', where he's talking about how he's a chatterbox and everything. He says, `I'm the real article; what you see is what you get.' Well, that makes me think of you." David shrugged, "I don't know whether to thank you or hit you. I also don't know what this has to do with what I said before." Aaron lowered down, until he was level with David. Putting his arms around him, he kissed his cheek and said, "Baby, what I'm saying, is that, like John Candy, you seem to always be trying to fit in with people somehow, but everybody ends up rejecting you, based on who you are." "Like you did?" Aaron sighed, "David, that wasn't very fair to say. I didn't so much reject you because of who *you* were. I rejected you because of who *I* was. My point, my dear, is that you don't have friends and people seem to be weirded out by you, because you never really learned how to be a good friend. Your upbringing wasn't the best and you severely lack skills in social conduct and personal judgement. However, you have one quality which is the crux of why I so love you. You lack the knowledge of how to butter people up to you, because you were never taught how to make friends, so you have no choice but to approach them with the only thing that you have; yourself. Your honest, true and painfully blunt self. You are, in every sense, the real article and what I see before me, is what I'm going to get if I stay with you. You don't put on acts for people, because you don't know how. You don't lie to get yourself over with people, because you wouldn't know where to begin. Even when you try to flirt with people, you are innocent and unsure. It's true, you'll probably never be a good actor and you could never join a country club, but I love you because you are honest and I care about you so much, because you were always there for me, even when I stopped being there for you. David, if people look at you strange, it's because they aren't used to someone being as openly honest as you are and if they don't recognize it as the amazing quality that I do, than it's their tough luck." David lay his head on Aaron's shoulder and said, "Why are you with me, Aaron? You are my ideal guy and nobody ever gets their ideal guy." Aaron smiled, "I thought Bob Moffatt was your ideal guy." David smiled and looked up. Gazing right into the eyes of the love of his life, he said, "I don't really know Bob Moffatt. He could be a total asshole. But, I know you, Aaron, and I love you. I don't want to go out and meet some faggot who wants to fuck me up the ass. I could be happy, if I never had to see anybody else, except you. Besides, you kind of look like Bob Moffatt" Aaron nodded and smiled, "Okay, enough with the mushy stuff for now. Let's get out of the pool, before we turn into prunes." David nodded and followed Aaron out of the pool. They headed back to the changing room and, silently, they dried off somewhat and changed back into their clothes. Carrying the duffel bag, David followed Aaron out of the building. As they walked down the hill and back toward the Villa Maria metro, David turned to Aaron and asked, "So, what do you think I should do?" "Regarding what?" Aaron replied. David shrugged, "I mean, what about school or work or what?" Aaron smiled, but shook his head, "I don't really know what to tell you, Dave. I mean, I'm here for you, whenever you need me and you made me believe that I was the key to everything in your life. Maybe now that you and I are together, you can deal with these things. All I know, is that on Monday, I got to head back to school and you're going to be alone with your mom. It'd be good if you figured out a solution before then." David shrugged, "Well, what else could I possibly want from life? I have you now, my Aaron, so I think I'll try to find a job and everything will be okay until next term, when I'll go back to school." "Well, my David," Aaron replied, "I'd advise you to undertake that, then, and quick. Your mother was never the patient type." So, David decided that he would be best to find an easy to acquire job in an English part of Montreal. The most convenient place would be the Couche-Tard that was just up the street. You thought he saw a hiring sign for the graveyard shift. He wasn't so sure he wanted to work nights. After all, he wouldn't be able to talk to Gavin or the other guys anymore. Still, he had Aaron, so what did he need Internet friends for? So, before heading back to David's house, they stopped over at the Couche-Tard and David filled out an application form for the night shift. They told him that they'd let him know by the end of the week. As part of the whole "nostalgia tour" thing, both boys showered in separate bathrooms when they got to David's house and, that night, they got up at around three in the morning and sucked each other off. The week went very slowly. Aaron tried to see David as often as possible, but with school and homework, it was hard to get some quality time with his new boyfriend. However, some nights, very late, David would be woken up by knocks on his bedroom window. He would open it up and, once he saw that it was Aaron, he would quickly tiptoe to the front door and, as quietly as possible, let Aaron in. Once inside, they would lie in bed and snuggle, or talk, or have sex. A few times, when David was on the Internet, Aaron would talk to his online friends. David even let Aaron talk to Gavin a few times. He always wondered what the two talked about. Then, after everything was done, Aaron would sneak back out. Thursday afternoon, David got a phone call from the manager of the Couche-Tard. He was told that they wanted him in to work on Friday evening, from 11 in the evening, until 7 in the morning. He was pretty excited to have gotten a job so quickly, and he called Aaron and told him all about it. He also told him that his mother and sister would be going to Plattsburgh that weekend, so he'd be alone and Aaron was welcome to stay from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. "Please come stay with me, sweetie." David has asked, "When I get home from work, I want to crawl into my bed and fall asleep holding you." "Of course." Aaron had replied, "But I'll be pretty tired on Friday night, so when you're crawling into bed, try not to wake me." So, all day Friday, David was excited. He was going to a new job and it would be his first weekend spent with Aaron, since their officially becoming boyfriends. At ten in the morning, when David's mother and sister left, David called Aaron and told him to come over. Aaron told him that he just needed to shower and shave and he'd be right over. When he finally arrived, they both kissed and then just sat down and ate lunch and talked. That's what David loved most about the new Aaron. He was nearly as horny as the old Aaron, but he didn't mind talking and he was now, apparently, totally acceptant that David frequently had to talk about his problems and things. It almost seemed too good to be true, but Aaron kept assuring him that it wasn't. When it came time, that night, for David to leave, Aaron wished him the best of luck and told him to be strong, but, no matter what, he would love him always. David left the house, his head filled with the words of encouragement from his boyfriend, Aaron. He would be strong and he would succeed. Not for Aaron's sake, because he believed that Aaron truly would love him, no matter what happened, though he still didn't quite know why. He was also not doing this for his mother, because he didn't believe you had a damn thing to prove to that bitch. So, he walked into the Couche-Tard at the end of the street and there was a clerk there who would be training him that night and staying with him for the whole shift, in case he had any questions. It was quiet at that point, so he began by showing David the coffee machines and how to refill them. David watched with forced interest and filled the machines as he was told. That feeling of panic at doing this boring, menial work was beginning to creep up on him, but he pushed it way down and thought about his Aaron and how proud Aaron would be if he came home at seven, after a successful night at work. So, with that in mind, David listened carefully as the clerk explained the cash register and, when the first customer arrived, David handled the purchase flawlessly. By one in the morning, he was extremely proud of himself. He was retaining the information that he was being taught, he was able to keep his panic at bay and he thought that he was doing quite well. Then the clerk told him to go into the fridge and restock the shelves. Walking across the store and into the walk-in fridge, David cheerfully, grabbed the boxes and brought them out to restock the shelves. That took a while, though, and after an hour, he was just finished with the milks and moving on to the butters. The clerk walked over and said to him, "Come on, hurry up! You're supposed to be done the whole restocking of the shelves after an hour. Customers are coming in and I won't be here to help you tomorrow night, so you're going to need to work a lot faster than that." That comment discouraged David immensely and, if anything, he began to work slower, as he grumbled and moaned to himself about how boring and pointless this job was. All thoughts of Aaron's pride and the money vanished and he began to think about how useless he was and, most of all, how much he hated this. After another half-hour, when he wasn't done, the clerk, a young kid who didn't look much older than David, sighed in exasperation and said, "You know what, forget it. I don't have time to wait around while your do this. Just come and let me show you how to defrost and bake the croissants. David followed slowly behind him, tears glistening in his eyes. Chances were good that the guy was going to tell the manager, the next day, that David was working too slow or something and he shouldn't be allowed to continue. He hoped he would, actually, because he didn't really want to work here. He didn't care anymore. The clerk stood in the freezer and tried to explain about how to defrost the croissants, but David wasn't even listening. "Excuse me," David said, cutting him off, "I don't...well...I don't really like this. I want to go home." "You can't." The clerk said simply, "You're booked to work tonight and I don't actually work here anymore, because I got a new job and you're supposed to be replacing me. If you went, there'd be nobody to replace you, because all the other clerks are asleep. Now, listen up...." David tried hard to listen. He would work this shift, then just never come back again. That's all. He couldn't, though. The anxiety and panic were too much for him to control anymore and, right in front of the clerk, he burst out crying. "Oh God, what the hell is wrong now?" The exasperated clerk exclaimed. "I...I...want to go...go home!" David sobbed. The clerk stared daggers at David for several seconds, before turning around and stomping out of the freezer and back into the store. David scurried after him, whimpering things like, "I'm really sorry." and "I really wish I could do this." The guy walked up to the counter and dialled a number. All the while, he just glared at David. When someone finally answered, the kid said, "Yeah, it's me at the store. I'm sorry to wake you. Well, the new guy here doesn't want to do it. He started crying or something like that. Yeah, I know...what the fuck, eh? Okay...Okay..." Putting his hand on the speaker, he turned to David and said, "Okay, get the fuck out of here." "I'm sorry." David meekly said. "Yeah, just fuck off, ya weirdo. I don't want to even look at you, right now." David grabbed his jacket and quickly scurried from the Couche-Tard and raced down the street, toward home. It was two-fifteen in the morning, so David could honestly feel somewhat glad that he managed to last that long. Still, he felt defeated. He had a job and, while it wasn't a great job, it was a job and he thought he could do it. He thought this would be his ticket to some space from his mother. Instead, he was returning from the battle, a loser. He unlocked and opened his front door and, after pulling off his shoes and leaving his coat on the vestibule bench, he walked down the hallway and toward his room. As he arrived at the doorway, he sniffled the tears back and smiled somewhat, as he saw the silhouette of Aaron lying in his bed, asleep. Aaron really was a beautiful guy, as far as David knew, and totally capable of going to school and, probably, working at a Couche-Tard. What the heck he was doing with David, the psycho, David couldn't figure out, but he was glad. He walked further into the room and took off his shirt and undid his jeans. As his jeans hit the carpet and the change in his pockets rattled on the floor, he saw Aaron stir. He walked closer to the guy, clad only in a pair of briefs. Aaron looked up at him through the darkness and said sadly, "It didn't work out, huh?" David began to cry again and he sniffled and shook his head, "Nope. I'm so sorry, Aaron" Aaron shook his head and whispered, "It's okay, baby." then pulled aside the covers and patted a spot on the mattress beside him. Tears flowing down his face, David quickly lay down on the bed and put him arms around Aaron's neck. Aaron pulled the blanket back over their bodies and put his arms around David's body, stroking his naked back with one hand. David cried on Aaron's shoulder and Aaron whispered again, "It's okay, baby." before just stroking David's back and letting him cry himself to sleep.