Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2022 22:00:51 +0000 (UTC)
From: rw6789@aol.com
Subject: "A Trial Of Strength" - Part 598  by Rob Williams

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH – PART 598 by Rob Williams

CHAPTER 598 – "RANDY & BOB MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR"

IN THIS CHAPTER

After boss Randy's outburst of rage, he has to make amends to his lover
Bob. But this time it's not revenge or brutal punishment, but their
passionate love-making that brings lasting peace.  Meanwhile young black
construction worker Darius has conflicts working with his beautiful Thai
boy Ryan. Darius learns the subtleties of a master-boy relationship, and
again, love is the answer.
___________________________________________________________________

<><> IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER <><>

Randy was busy mending fences – and he had a lot to mend.

The tough gypsy boss of the tribe was much-loved and respected except that
he was prone to bouts of fiery anger.  And this time he had insulted and
actually "fired" his own kid brother, the construction company's assistant
mechanic, Ben, who ran away from home in despair.

After a barrage of recrimination Randy had sought help from his therapist
brother, Doc Steve.  Later, he followed Ben to Uncle Mike's house in Palm
Springs where he rescued Ben from a thuggish biker in a brutal fight.  That
had restored young Ben's love for him, and he once again regarded Randy as
his hero.

Next, Randy made amends to Ben's man, the fireman Jason, and actually
formed a real friendship with Jason for the first time.  Then came the man
Randy looked up to as a father figure, the older and wiser Uncle Mike.

In a long talk they smoothed the troubled waters and Mike advised Randy to
take the final, and hardest, step of reconciling with the man he loved
deeply, his partner Bob.  Their longtime love was passionate – joined at
the hip, as Mike described it – and Randy was desperate to restore Bob's
good opinion of him.

When Randy returned home Bob was working at his desk in their bedroom.  He
looked up from his laptop at Randy who, for one absurd moment, looked like
a nervous schoolboy who'd been sent to the headmaster's office for
discipline.

Bob stood up – and cursed himself for feeling his cock get hard as he
looked at the macho gypsy.  "Randy, you're home.  Er, how are Ben and Jason
doing ... and Mike and Larry?"

"They're fine.  Everything's fine out there."

Ben had shot a video of Randy's fight with the biker and sent a copy to Bob
who now asked, "And you Randy?  How are you?  Come here."

Randy walked haltingly toward him, and Bob reached up to his face and
brushed his fingers lightly over the bruises from the fight.  "Do they
hurt?  Are you hurt?"

"Nah, nothing broken.  You know me, I bounce back fast after a fight."

"Randy, Mike gave me the whole story and I have to thank you for what you
did to protect your brother.  Seems this thug was quite the fighter, an
ex-boxer."

Randy shrugged.  "Yeah, but nothing I couldn't handle.  Me and Ben ended up
tying him to his own bike and spit roasting him.  I sent him off on his
bike butt naked.  Quite a sight riding through downtown Palm Springs, like
Lady Godiva, Ben said."  He grinned, with a hint of pride.

There followed an uneasy silence as neither man knew where to take this
next.  They stood staring at each other, each with a major erection in his
pants.  When the silence grew too heavy Randy, as always, followed his
impulses.  He suddenly wrapped his hand round Bob's head and pulled him
into a churning kiss.

After a few seconds Bob pulled away and protested, "Randy, you can't make
everything right with a kiss."  He instantly regretted his words.

"Dammit, man, I wasn't trying to kiss everything away."  Randy raised his
voice. "I kissed you because I love you, I've missed you, and I've got a
roaring hardon in my fucking pants just looking at you.  Dammit, there I go
shouting again, losing my temper ... I've fucked up again like I always do.
I'm no good for you, dude, I ..."

Bob silenced him with another kiss, this one passionate, tongues probing
deep. When at last they separated Bob said, "I'm sorry I said that, Randy.
I didn't mean it ... I guess I'm nervous."

"That makes two of us, buddy."

They sat down at the small table and drank coffee. Bob asked, "Is Ben
really happy, Randy?"

"As a clam at high tide, dude.  Me and Jason slept with him last night, he
loved it.  He calls us his heroes.  And that Jason is a really neat guy.  I
always worried he wasn't treating Ben right, but now I know him better I
see how much he and Ben love each other.  And man, what he's been doing up
north fighting those wildfires!  That takes guts – a real hero."

"Glad to hear that the story of Ben and Jason has a happy ending, Bob said.
So now for the situation down here.  I can tell you that the construction
sites are all running smoothly, thanks to the bosses Zack, Seth and Darius.
Also, I spoke to Doc Steve who likes the way things are going and said you
were on track for regular therapy sessions."

Randy reached forward and squeezed Bob's hand.  "But what about us, dude,
you and me.  I feel so ashamed that I hit you again.  How many times have I
said I'd never do that again?  I'm afraid next time I'll piss you off so
bad you'll walk out on me. That would kill me."

"So, we have to make sure that if the threat looms again we know how to
handle it."  Bob even suggested they have a `safe word'. "So if ever you go
over the top with me, I could yell a safe word that would stop you dead in
your tracks."

Randy smiled, "Yeah maybe ... worth a try. But buddy, what about right now?
I gotta find a way to make up for what I did to you. You know me, I gotta
pay my debts.  What can I do, buddy?

Bob smiled.  "Maybe it's not so much what you can do as what I can do.
After all, we've both got roaring hard-ons, don't we?"

========= CHAPTER 598 =========

<><> RECONCILIATION <><>

The lovers Bob and Randy stared at each other, wondering what came next in
their attempt at reconciliation.  A few days ago Randy had once again
erupted in a tower of rage and insulted his own kid-brother Ben, and then
had knocked Bob to the ground when he tried to intervene.

Randy needed to be punished and now said, "So what you gonna do to me,
dude?  You gonna drag me outside, tie me down naked in front of the whole
tribe, whip me and ream my ass till I beg for mercy?"

Bob sighed, "Oh Randy, public humiliation is so medieval, went out with the
stocks and the ducking stool.  And what good does it do?  It's such a tired
old story.  You lose your cool and lash out with your fists... you feel
ashamed and beg forgiveness ... I ream your ass savagely as punishment
... I forgive you, and the tribe cheers ... until the cycle repeats itself.

"In any case, butt-fucking you is no punishment, it turns you on.  And I've
always considered fucking as an act of love, not penance.  Randy, I'm no
sadist, no whip-master hungry for vengeance.  I love you, Randy.  I have
since the day we met and will until the day I die.  And you have always
said you love me, and I believe that."

Bob smiled.  "So, no medieval punishment, no abuse, just an act of love,
and we'll see where that gets us.  Like you said earlier ... worth a try.
How's this for a start?"

Bob held Randy's face in his hands and kissed him.  It was a loving kiss,
first licking his lips, then pressing their lips together and sliding his
tongue inside.  Randy slipped his hands round the small of Bob's back and
pulled him closer, their kiss building from pleasure to passion.

When at last they pulled apart Bob smiled, "I want you to take your clothes
off."

Bob stood back, turned on by the sight of the dark, muscled gypsy pulling
off his T-shirt, kicking off his boots and dropping his jeans.  He stood
naked, unsure of himself, arms hanging limply by his sides, and looked
shyly at Bob whose deep brown eyes smiled back at him.  Randy knew how to
react to physical assault, but was on shakier ground when facing
tenderness.  The only assertive part of him now was his enormous cock that
stood out stiffly from his wiry black pubes.

His cock grew visibly harder as he watched Bob pull his white T-shirt off
over his head.  He unbuckled his belt and pulled it out of his slacks.  As
the belt hung from his hand Randy thought for a moment that Bob was about
to whip him with it – just as Randy would do to punish a man.

But this was different – not exactly punishment, unless frustrated
desire was punishment. Randy was longing to touch the stunning man standing
shirtless before him, but Bob was in charge now.  So all he could do was
watch, his lust building as Bob eased off his loafers, unzipped his slacks
and took them off. He walked across the room and folded them over a chair.

Bob was wearing his usual white boxers that cinched his slim waist and
clung to his muscled thighs.  Randy's cock oozed pre-cum while he stared at
his handsome near-naked lover whose sculpted physique flexed as he paced
the room.  "On the bed, Randy," Bob said, and the naked gypsy willingly lay
on his back.

Bob went to the night-table and pulled from a drawer a rarely used jar of
lube.  Spit was all Randy used to fuck Bob, but Bob was making a point –
gently does it.  He stood at the foot of the bed, dropped his shorts and
lubed his long hard cock.  He knelt on the bed, pushed Randy's legs back
and smiled, "This is as close to punishment as I come, buddy ... `cos, I
love you."

He eased his lubed rod gently into his lover's ass and Randy moaned with
pleasure.  As he gazed up at the beautiful man he idolized, and felt his
cock pushing inside him, he was suddenly overwhelmed. All the angst,
confusion and sadness of the last few days evaporated, engulfed in a wave
of inexpressible love for Bob.  This was it, the whole thing, nothing else
mattered.

What the fuck had he been thinking?  He had actually quarreled with this
man, knocked him to the ground – a man he would give his life for.  He
needed to tell him he loved him ... but the feeling was so overpowering
that words didn't come.  Tears came instead, brimming in his eyes then
rolling down his cheeks.  They were tears of frustration, tears of shame,
tears born of a passion that lay too deep for words.

As he caressed Randy's ass Bob smiled, "I know, Randy.  Wonderful, isn't
it?  This is all that really counts ... you and me."

Finally, haltingly, the words came through the sobs.  "I ... I love you,
Bob.  I don't know how I could ... or why I ever...?  Can I touch you?"

"I wish you would, you big ol' gypsy," Bob grinned.  "You're free ... see,
no ropes, no bondage, not between us."

Randy reached up, stroked Bob's chest and felt the solid muscles ripple
under his hands.  He ran his fingers up his neck then stroked the contours
of his square-cut features.  "You're so fucking beautiful, man.  I love you
... I love your body, I love your face, your eyes, your lips ... I love
your soul, man."

"You don't have to say it in words, Randy.  Every time I look into those
piercing blue eyes I see your love smiling back at me."

"Bob, it's ... it's a feeling beyond anything else. How could I ever hurt a
man who makes me feel like this?"

"So that's it, Randy.  This feeling is our safe word ... when things get
rough we remember the feeling and everything changes – from black and
white to technicolor."  Bob chuckled.  "Or should I say from black and blue
to technicolor?"

"Fuck you, man," Randy smiled through his tears.  "Kiss me, please.  Make
love to me buddy."

Bob bent down and licked the tears from Randy's face.  He kissed his eyes,
then his lips, all the while sliding his long cock in and out of his warm
ass.  Bob pulled back so their faces were only inches apart.  "See what I
mean about the eyes, dude?  They say it all."

It was as if the room expanded, walls disappeared, and the men were making
love in a swirling world empty of all else except them, joined together in
body, mind and spirit.

It was the pressure in their loins that eventually brought them back to the
real world.  Randy reached up again and pressed his palms against Bob's
cheeks.  He held his face and gazed into it, drowning in the limpid depths
of his brown eyes.  He felt warmth spread over his own body as his cock
jolted and spurted his juice in a stream that splashed on the chiseled body
rising and falling over him.

Bob smiled into his lover's wide blue eyes and pumped semen deep inside
him.

Their passion spent, Bob pulled out his cock and fell into Randy's arms,
where they held each other tight and lost all track of time.

<><> PRISONERS OF LOVE <><>

Bob closed his eyes and drifted, dozed maybe, wrapped in the muscular
embrace of the swarthy, long-haired gypsy.  When at last he opened his eyes
he saw Randy's face smiling down at him.  "So, buddy," Randy asked gently,
"where do we go from here?"

"Back to work, I guess.  But Randy, before we put all this stuff behind us
I want to say one last thing about it.  You may wonder why I haven't said
to you something like, "Randy, if you hit me again it will be the last
time, I'll leave you."  But I can't say that because it wouldn't be true,
and I always tell you the truth.

"You and I share the kind of love that is deep and endless, we just proved
that.  I'm no saint, just a man with feelings, but I could never leave you,
Randy, and we both know it.  So saying that I will, would be an empty
threat.

"Which means, Randy, that in a way I'm your captive.  To put it bluntly,
whatever you do, I won't leave you ... I can't.  So I'm at your mercy.  How
many times over the years have you protected me when someone threatened me?
But what about the times when the threat is from you yourself?  At the same
time, you always say you couldn't live without me.  So you are my captive
too.  Love as deep as ours means we are each other's prisoner –
prisoners of love.

"Yeah buddy, but that's a big challenge."

"A challenge we can't escape, Randy – and a challenge that's worth it.
It means that if you abuse me, you are attacking a bound man who can't
escape, much like you did with that biker thug threatening Ben, tying him
to his bike and fucking his ass.  And whatever I am, buddy, I am no biker
thug."

"I hear what you're saying, dude and it makes me feel ashamed of my rage
meltdowns.  So many guys have come up with ways to help – my brother
Steve's giving me regular shrink sessions ... Mike told me to look on him
as my sponsor in a support group and to call him whenever the shit hits the
fan ... and you, dude, you've given me the best reason ever to curb my
anger."

Bob smiled, "Yeah, we've thrown a lot of ideas against the wall, so let's
see if anything sticks.  But right now, like I said, let's get back to
work.  I need to fill you in on what's been going on here in your absence.
Let me just see what's happening with lunch."

He called down to the kitchen and got Kyle, one of the twins. "Well, sir,
Will's just left with the box lunches for the crews on the construction
sites, and Kevin and I will be setting up lunches here – only a few
though `cos most guys are at work. After that we and Will grab our own
lunch."

"Thanks, Kyle, so here's what I'd like, though I don't want to give you
extra work.  I'm here with Randy and we're gonna be talking for a while.
So how about you bring your three lunches up here along with ours after
Will gets back, is that possible."

"Of course, no problem, sir.  Kind of a celebration, right?"

"You been listening at keyholes, kiddo?"

"No, sir" Kyle laughed.  "But we usually know where the land lies, we just
put one and one together and came up with two.  Er, while you're waiting
for lunch perhaps you and Randy would like some appetizers and a nice
bottle of Chardonnay for you, sir, and beer for Randy?"

"Dude, you read my mind.  What are you, psychic?"

"We just know your tastes, sir ... in food, wine and men."

<><> ABOUT DARIUS & HIS BOY <><>

Bob and Randy showered together and were sitting shirtless and barefoot
when both twins came in, wearing aprons and chef's hats.  They set the
small table with the appetizers wine and beer and Kevin poured Bob's wine
like an attentive waiter.

"Perfect," Bob said as he tasted it.

"Perfect waiters too," Randy grinned seductively.  "Any time you kids want
company ..."

"I see you're back on form, sir, congratulations," Kyle grinned.  "Back in
half an hour, sirs."

"Was he sending me up?" Randy asked Bob after the twins left.

"You never know with those two.  They've got a language of their own –
they talk to each other with their eyes."

"A bit like us sometimes," Randy grinned.

"OK, work," Bob said.  "Like I told you, the construction company is
ticking over just fine.  Zack told me it's a tribute to your planning and
leadership in the first week of the expansion that made it easy for the
other managers to carry on without you.  But they want you back now."

"Yeah, well I plan on going to see Zack this afternoon to get an on-site
update from him.  That guy is solid as a rock, I'm glad he's running the
second government contracts division.  The City is so impressed by the work
we've done for them so far that we're likely to get more contracts from
them down the line. On-time and under-budget are their main concerns and
that's what we give `em. Right, so anything else I should know, dude?"

Bob frowned uneasily.  "Er, there is one issue that troubles me.  It
concerns Darius."

"No, really?  Dammit, us directors deliberated a long time before we made
him head of the residential division.  He's young but I felt sure he was
the guy for the job. I hope we haven't made a mistake there.  He's Zack's
boy so I'll talk to Zack about it when I meet with him."

"I don't want you to get the wrong idea, Randy.  It's not about his
work. Zack said he's becoming a terrific boss.  He's younger than most of
his crew but he's so efficient, mixes firmness with kindness and gets down
and dirty with them, does his share of the heavy lifting.  They really look
up to him, plus he makes them laugh a lot.  There's a great atmosphere on
that site."

"So what's the problem?"

"It has to do with Darius's boy Ryan."

"The Thai boy?  I like that kid and I thought he worshipped Darius, and
Darius is proud of his computer skills."

"Yeah, well in mentioning those two things you've put your finger on the
problem.  As you know, since he joined us Ryan has completely transformed
our computer programs – everything – purchasing, accounting,
inventory, payroll, even created four-dimensional architectural plans that
Lloyd loves.  And the best part is he's made the programs real user
friendly."

Randy chuckled.  "Except for users like me.  I may be a great construction
boss but I'm a total computer klutz as you know."

"And there again you've hit on the problem, Randy.  You know how Ryan has
to interface with all the managers to explain the reports they have to
submit to the office using the new database.  Saves a ton of paperwork.  So
tell me, Randy, how do you handle it when he instructs you?"

"Not well, dude.  Like I said, I'm a techno-klutz.  So Ryan sits me down
and explains in laymen's terms what I should do.  `Course, I only
understand half of it, but when I get in trouble he's real patient, takes
me in hand and leads me through the process.  Sure beats filling out all
those forms like we used to do.  I always say to him, `you're the boss,
Ryan – you tell me what to do and I'll do it'."

"Exactly.  And I know the other managers feel the same, they're putty in
his hands when it comes to data entry.  It's odd really, `cos Ryan is
basically a sweet, shy boy, but when it comes to his work he's transformed
into a confident assertive young man, as authoritative as need be."

"Yeah, I appreciate that in the boy.  Makes my work much easier.  That goes
for Zack and Seth too.  Construction workers are a breed apart, we like
physical labor, getting down and dirty, but we're not so hot with a
keyboard – it's a foreign language to us.  So young Ryan is a
godsend. Anyway, I still don't see your problem, dude."

"OK, everything you've said applies to Darius too.  He has to do reporting
just like you but, like you, computer programs confuse him.  So picture it,
he sits down with Ryan, his own boy who worships the ground he walks on.
And like you he has to tell his boy, `You're the boss, dude, you tell me
what to do and I'll do it."

"Ah, I'm getting it now.  But buddy, you and me do the same thing.  You
explain all those figures of yours to me and I'm supposed to understand
them, but I don't, so I cuss you out and you tell me to shut the fuck up
... and we get along fine."

"So, can you imagine Ryan telling Darius to shut the fuck up?  It's a
question of balance, Randy.  Their relationship is definitely master and
boy.  Darius is a tough topman and Ryan loves getting orders from him.  You
can't suddenly reverse that balance to where Ryan's giving the orders.

"Darius is new to having his own boy and it's not easy for him to
understand all the subtleties that go into it, the kind of thing you just
described between you and me – though I would hardly describe that as
subtle."

"Nah," Randy grinned, "I don't do subtle.  But ain't this just growing
pains?  They'll learn."

"I wish it were that easy, Randy.  No, this is not just a blip on the
radar, it's fundamental tension between those two and I'm afraid it will
get worse.  It's just as hard for Ryan.  He can't bring himself to be
assertive with Darius like he is with you guys.  `Shut the fuck up and
listen?' I don't think so."

"So what can I do, buddy?"

"Have a word with Zack, Randy.  Tell him what I've told you.  Darius is
Zack's boy, he nurtured him to what he is today.  In many ways they are
alike, Darius models himself on Zack."

"You're right, dude, that's the way to handle it.  OK, I'll raise the topic
with Zack this afternoon."

<><> PLOTTING STRATEGY <><>

A short time later the twins and Will came in with a cart full of food and
drink.  They set up the larger oval table and Kyle said, "We've left Felipe
in charge of the kitchen in case the lunch guys want anything else."

"That reminds me," Bob said.  "I don't wanna jump the gun or anything, but
I had a call from my immigration guy Alistair.  He said he had fast-tracked
Felipe's work-permit application and he expects it to come through any day
now. But don't mention anything to him `cos I'd hate to get his hopes up
and then some glitch happens."

"He'll be thrilled if it happens," Kevin said.  "He's really become a solid
member of the kitchen team and he loves the job, but we can tell there's
always that nagging feeling it might all come to a grinding halt."

"The kid's great, the kid stays," Randy growled.  "Anyone tries to take him
away they have to come through me."

Bob chuckled.  "Randy, you can't wrestle the Immigration Department into
submission.  They might get a wrong impression of Felipe's sponsor.
Alistair is more subtle."

"Like I told you, dude, I don't do subtle."

"Talking of which, sir," Will said, "lunch today is braised whitefish which
has a subtle taste.  But as you don't do subtle I made you a sirloin steak.
Unless you think steak is too heavy for lunch."

Randy laughed his deep-throated laugh.  "Steak is good anytime, Red.  Bring
it on kiddo."

Lunch had a celebratory feel to it as Bob and Randy had obviously resolved
their differences.  Kyle raised his glass.  "Gentlemen, I propose a toast
to ... to `water under the bridge'.  They drank heartily, and over lunch
Will and the twins talked a bit more about Felipe, singing his praises.
That segued into the subject most on Bob's mind.

"Boys, a while ago Randy and I were discussing Ryan.  Have, er, have any of
you noticed any change in him?"

Will glanced at the twins, then said, "Sir, I've been talking to Brandon,
and he's quite concerned about Ryan.  He's usually happily engrossed in all
that computer stuff he loves, but Brandon says he seems more distracted
than usual, as if there's something on his mind."

"Yeah," Bob said, "I should have thought to talk to Brandon ... he's his
boss and he'd notice any problems.  Do you guys mind if I call him now?"

When Brandon answered Bob put him on speaker.  "Sorry to interrupt your
lunch, Brandon, but I wanted to have a word with you about Ryan."

That's funny, sir, I was about to call you, `cos Ryan just told me
something that's got me worried and I don't know how to handle it."

"So come up here, buddy, and join us."

A few minutes later Brandon was with them and Will was dishing up dessert
for him.  Bob got right into it.  "So what happened, Brandon?"

"Well, sir, I've been telling Will that Ryan seemed a little off lately and
I was waiting for the right moment to talk to him.  But he's just told me
that he's had a job offer.  Nothing unusual in that, `cos you know how his
computer skills have always impressed the L.A. City planners ever since we
got the first contract.  They always told him there would be a job for him
at the City if ever he felt like a change."

"Well now they've made a specific offer in the City Planning Department
– and he thinks he's gonna take it.  I can't hold him back from an
opportunity like this – raise in salary, great benefits.  But the thing
is, I don't really think he wants to take it.  He's always said how much he
loves his job with us, working with you and me.  And Vic and Noah are great
pals of his.

"Anyway, I said I'd ask you if we could match the wages they offered, but
he said it wasn't about money at all.  Then he murmured something I didn't
understand ... he said if he had to choose between this job and Darius, he
would have to choose Darius."

"Ah, I thought that was it, I understand what he meant.  Randy and I were
just having a long talk about it."  Bob told them all the gist of their
conversation and they fell into a troubled silence.

When Bob finished Kevin said, "It's a difficult problem, sir, but it's
something between Darius and Ryan.  Randy has always told us we should
never intervene between a man and his boy."

Bob said, "You're absolutely right, Kevin, but in this case there's a
twist.  Ryan is Darius's boy, true, but Darius is also Zack's boy.  So Zack
is the one who can intervene if his own boy is in trouble.

"All I would ask you all to do is to be as kind as you can with Ryan,
without taking sides or giving any advice about the job offer.  Brandon,
you might try unobtrusively to slow things down a bit with Ryan.  I would
hate for him to act impulsively and regret any decision he makes.  Is he in
the office now?"

"No, sir, and that's the other thing.  You know how Ryan visits each of the
construction sites to help each manager with data entry?  Well, er, today
was Darius's turn.  Ryan is on his way there right now.  But when he comes
back I think I can stall things until Zack has sorted things out ... if he
can.  Does Zack know the whole story?"

"Probably not yet," Randy said, "that's my job.  Zack and me are like
brothers, we speak the same language.  Matter of fact, now this job offer
thing has come up, I'll go over to Zack's site right away and fill him in."
Randy got up and ruffled Will's red hair.  "Thanks for the steak, Red.  Any
time you chefs are making something `subtle' as you call it, make mine a
steak, uh?"

"Oh, I think I'll remember that you don't do `subtle'.  You prove it often
enough."

"Huh, another boy sending me up.  I gotta take you kids in hand."

"Yes please, sir," they all chorused.

<><> PATIENT TEACHER – HOSTILE STUDENT <><>

Darius was in his on-site trailer office and, as it happens, poring over
his computer when Ryan tapped at the door and came in.  Darius stood up and
kissed him on the lips.  Good you're here.  Come to boss me about and tell
me how to do these reports, eh?"

"Not really, sir," Ryan smiled shyly.  Even though Darius's words were
spoken in jest, they intimidated Ryan right from the start, as he was
afraid they hinted at Darius's real feelings.  "Er, may I look at your
computer and see what needs doing?"

"Sure, take a seat kid.  I'll look over your shoulder and be dazzled by
your skill."

Ryan sat down and after just a few keystrokes could see what was wrong.
"No, you're in entirely the wrong program.  You can't enter the figures
into this application.  I told you before you have to open a new window
like this ..."

As Bob had said, when Ryan was at a computer he was transformed from the
normally shy boy to an expert with a tone of authority.  It wasn't
deliberate.  It came naturally – the reason he was so good at his job.
He was actually a good teacher, with a lot of patience.

"Actually, the procedure is really simple and, like everything, the more
you do it the easier it is.  It becomes second nature, even for ..."

"... for an idiot like me, eh?" Darius grunted.

Ryan blushed deeply.  "No, sir, that's not what I meant.  But computers can
be like a new language for some people, and practice makes perfect."

Darius's hackles were already rising.  He was not used to this tone from
his boy.  One thing he loved about the kid was the quiet admiration and
respect he showed him.  He behaved like a boy should behave, and made
Darius feel powerful, dominant.  Master and boy – they were a good
balance.  But now the boy was acting like he was in charge.

Darius knew how to love and nurture a sweet kid like Ryan, but this new
assertive tone, telling him what do, was hard to take, like the kid was
taking charge of the master.  So Darius hit back with his own commanding
tone, implicitly showing his boy who was really boss here.  "Look, just
show me what you do, kid, I don't have all day.  I gotta get back to the
guys who speak the same language as me."

Ryan persisted.  "It's better if you sit here and do it while I instruct
you.  That way you get the feel for it, otherwise you'll never learn how to
do it yourself."

"Look, kid, I don't need a lecture from you.  And I don't appreciate your
tone of voice.  Show some respect – I'm the man around here, you're my
boy, or you used to be."

Ryan panicked.  "I still am, sir, aren't I?  I love you sir, I love being
your boy.  I don't want anything to mess that up.  Please, sir ...?"

"Ah, let's just forget this computer shit right now, it's not that
important anyway.  I gotta get back to the real work outside.  Maybe we'll
have another go sometime."

"Not with me, sir, with someone else.  I seem to upset you whenever we do
this, and that's the last thing I want.  I just wanna be your boy, sir, and
my job gets in the way of this.  Sir, I've been offered a job by City
Planning and I'm gonna take it.  That way I can be a proper boy for you
without all these work problems.  I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to make you
mad ... I love you, sir."

Tears were brimming in Ryan's eyes as he turned and ran off down the
trailer steps.

"Fuck," Darius said.  "Fuck," slamming his fist down on the drafting table.
He wasn't sure what had just happened, didn't know if he was mad at the boy
or himself.  He couldn't believe he had just made that sweet kid cry ...
He ran to the door and yelled, "Ryan, wait.  I didn't mean ..."

But he was gone, and Darius heard his little car start up and drive away.
"Fuck," he growled again.  Then he saw Zack coming through the gate and
striding toward him.

<><> DARIUS LEARNS FROM ZACK <><>

"Was that Ryan I saw dashing out of here with tears running down his face?"

Darius groaned.  "Damn, I just fucked up so bad, Zack, I behaved like a
fucking asshole.  I'm as bad as Randy.  When he made his little brother run
away in tears everyone came down hard on him ... and now I've done exactly
the same with my own boy."

"So what exactly happened, dude?

"Ah, he came to do that computer stuff with me, and he was kinda pushy,
telling me what to do and what not to do.  I'm not used to that from my
boy, I thought he should show more respect."

"Was he rude to you?"

"No, nothing like that.  He was just, I dunno, forceful ... giving me
instructions."

"In other words, he was doing his job.  And a damn fine job he does too,
he's done the same with the other managers.  Look dude, none of us
construction guys enjoy all these reports we have to send in, but trust me,
Ryan has made it a whole lot easier once you learn the system.

"Those old forms we used to have to fill out were a serious pain in the
ass.  Ryan's got it set up where it's mostly a series of check-off boxes,
with a small area for comments.  We used to have to write a fucking essay,
drove us all crazy.  You should have heard Seth gripe about them ... said
he's better with a pickaxe than he is with a pen.

"`Course, like any new computer program you have to get used to it.  But
Ryan's right there if we mess up ... he's patient, methodical, but like any
good teacher, he has to be firm and insist on the rules, or it don't work."

Zack chuckled.  "You should have seen how Randy reacted at first ... not
the most patient guy in the world, cussing and growling.  But give Ran his
due, he stuck to it, even with the tough gypsy boss.  In the end Randy was
saying, `Ok, kiddo you're the boss.  You tell me what to do and I'll do
it.'  From then on, never a problem.  Randy's full of praise for the kid."

"That may work for you all, Zack, but it's different for me.  Ryan's my
boy, godammit.  You expect me to tell him he's the boss?"

"OK, that's a whole `nother issue and the heart of the problem here.
You're new to this, Darius, and you have a lot to learn about having your
own boy.  It's a big responsibility.

"I'll level with you, Darius.  Bob and Randy could see this coming, and I
just had a long talk with Randy about it.  Bob, as usual, saw everything
clearly.  It has to do with the relationship between man and boy. You've
been used to a sweet compliant Thai boy who worships you – he'd jump off
a building if you told him to.  But when he's working he's at the top of
his game, and you should not only accept that but be proud of him."

"I am proud of him, Zack, but when he's self-confident and forceful like
that it makes him kinda ... like my equal in a way."

"Darius, listen to me.  Cast your mind back all the way to that day when
you were a young construction guy working on a job with me.  A heavy steel
I-beam fell and pinned me beneath it.  Only thing that saved me was that
one end was propped up on a low branch.  But the branch was starting to
break, and in a few minutes I would have been crushed to death.

"To this day I don't know where you found the strength, but you grabbed the
end of the I-beam that was sinking lower and stopped it's fall.  I watched
those muscles strain as inch by agonizing inch you raised it high enough
for me to slide out from under it, and you finally let it crash to the
ground.  Dude, you saved my life that day, and at that moment I knew I
wanted you as my boy.

"And you know one of the reasons?  I already liked you a lot, starting to
love you, but I saw that, young as you were, you were my equal in physical
strength.  I was superior to you in many ways – age, experience,
knowledge – but I loved that you were in some ways my equal.  I was so
proud of you; it was a perfect man/boy balance."

Darius stared at Zack and recalled that day, and his own pride at becoming
this rugged man's boy.  "I get it, sir.  You're saying I should be proud of
my boy and accept that, in some things, Ryan knows more than I do, he's the
dominant partner.

"Don't call it dominance, boy.  You are two guys at the top of your game
– it's just that they're different games.  Ryan would never dream of
giving you orders on the construction site ... you're the boss there.  But
let him be the boss on the computer – because he is.  Let him teach you
how to fill out those damn reports, and be proud of him.  You train and
nurture Ryan in so many ways, I bet that he's proud and thrilled to be able
to teach you something.

Darius threw his arms round Zack – two beautiful, muscular black men in
a tight embrace. "Thank you, sir.  I'm so glad and proud to be your boy."

"And you have a boy of your own now, buddy, a boy who right now is scared
that his world is crumbling around him.  Because you are his world,
Darius."

"I gotta go to him ... I gotta go ... I'll just make sure here that ..."

"Don't worry about work here.  I'll take over and hand off to your foreman.
So go, dude.  Get your sexy ass outa here."

<><> RYAN & DARIUS GET TO WORK <><>

Ryan drove back to the home office with watery eyes.  In his confusion he
turned on the windshield wipers to clear his field of vision, then turned
them off and blinked back his tears.

When he reached the house he sat in his car for a few minutes to compose
himself.  He took deep breaths, wiped his face, then went to the office.
He sat at his desk without a word and without making eye contact.

It was obvious to Brandon, and the two boys Vic and Noah, that something
was wrong.  Ryan's red-rimmed eyes and morose expression gave that away.
Brandon frowned at Vic and Noah as a sign not to say anything and to leave
the talking to him.  Gently, casually, Brandon said, "Everything OK, Ryan?"

"Yes thank you, sir."

Brandon discouraged the boys from calling him sir, although he was their
boss.  He thought of them all simply as workmates.  Of course he guessed
that this `sir' had to do with the Darius issue that Bob and Randy had
discussed at lunch. Something had obviously gone disastrously wrong at
Ran's meeting, but Bob had cautioned them not to address the problem as it
was complex, and they could easily make it worse.

So Brandon left it alone for a while, but knew he couldn't let this heavy
atmosphere in the office persist.  Perhaps he should call Bob.  He was
turning it over in his mind when he heard a truck screech to a halt
outside.  Ryan heard it too and looked up from his computer screen.

The door flew open and Darius burst in, still shirtless in his usual black
jeans and boots.  Without a word he went to Ryan and scooped him up out of
his chair and into his arms.  He kissed his tear-stained cheeks, then his
lips.

"I'm sorry, kiddo ... I'm so sorry ... I messed up.  I love you dude and of
course you're still my boy.  Hey, let's have another go at that computer
thing, eh?  And this time I'll try not to be such an asshole."

Vic and Noah were smiling furtively as they pretended to work, and Brandon
cleared his throat.  "Er, Darius, maybe you two would like to use the
computer in my back office here.  The programs are accessible from any of
our computers, Ryan set it up that way."

"Thanks buddy, sorry for barging in like that.  Can Ryan take a little time
off to show me?"

"It's not time off, Darius, it's work, important work.  It makes it so much
easier for us and especially Bob when he can check on the progress of all
the sites with a few keystrokes, rather than plowing through reams of
paper."  Brandon smiled, "So go ahead, dude, get to work."

Darius grinned, "OK with you, Ryan?  `Cos you're the boss here."

"Of course, sir."  Ryan smiled at Brandon who squeezed his arm as he walked
past his desk and through the door to the inner office.

Ryan sat at the computer there and opened up the reports file.  As he
watched his boy, there was a lot Darius wanted to say, but thought it best
to confine himself to work ... for now anyway.

"There we are, sir, this is where we left off."  He paused and took a deep
breath.  "Er, like I said before, sir, it's better if you sit here and do
it hands-on while I take you through it step-by-step."

"Aye-aye, sir," Darius smiled.  "Like I said, you're the boss, kiddo.  You
tell me what to do and I'll do it."

Ryan stood up and as Darius brushed past him he gave him another light kiss
before sitting down and staring blankly at the jumble of words and numbers
on the screen.  "Dude, you gotta be patient with me `cos this all looks
like double-Dutch to me.  This might take a while."

Ryan pulled up a chair next to him.  "I don't mind if it does, sir."  His
Thai features broke into a shy smile.  "It's kinda nice sitting close to
you like this and working together, don't you think?"

"Love it, kid.  And I'll try to keep my hands off you and on the keyboard."

Ryan's shyness faded quickly and the other Ryan – the firm, self-assured
technician – took over.  This time it didn't bother Darius. In fact this
assertive young man made his dick hard."

"Right," Ryan explained, "so what you're looking at is yesterday's report,
and in a way much of the work has already been done for you, as a lot of
the data will be the same, that's the beauty of this.  This report has
already been saved in the database so we can change this version however
much we like.  Delete it if you like, but we don't wanna do that."

"We don't?"

"No, I'll show you why.  This first question is about personnel – how
many men were working in the crew today?"

"Eighteen, same as yesterday."

"See, it's already there from yesterday so we don't have to touch that.
The technical term is `pre-populated' but you don't have to remember that.
Like I said, you'll find that a lot of the facts and figures are the same
as the previous day, so you can just breeze through and only make changes
when there's a difference.  OK, next comes a list of crew men.  Take a look
and see if they're all the same as yesterday."

"Hmm... all except Garcia.  He was replaced by Martinez."

"So replace him.  Highlight the name and press delete ... you know how to
do that don't you?."

"Hey, I'm not a complete klutz."

Ryan smiled slyly. "You told me you were, sir."

"Watch it kiddo.  OK, now I enter the new name here. I only use two fingers
to type, by the way."

"Two fingers are enough, sir."

That's what I always say. `Course, it depends what you're doing.  Sometimes
you need all five."

"Be serious, sir.  We're talking about data entry."

"I'm talking about entry too, kiddo."  That made Ryan laugh and Darius
kissed him again.

"Anyway, sir, you see how simple that was?  Imagine how it used to be when
every day the manager had to start the written report from scratch.  By
comparison this is beautiful."

"Yeah, I can see that," Darius smiled, looking at the fine-boned profile of
his beautiful Thai boy whose dark eyes shone with enthusiasm.

And so the lesson progressed and Darius's affection for his boy grew
... along with his hard-on.

<><> MAN & BOY – DARIUS & RYAN MAKE IT OFFICIAL <><>

Darius gradually got the hang of it and they reached the end in a
surprisingly short time. "See how easy that was, sir?  Now after you've
double-checked it for errors you simply press transmit and presto – the
office, Bob, and the directors all have access to it right away.  One word
of warning though. I guarantee you will forget half of what I've taught
you, rookies always do."

Darius was about to object to the word, but when he looked at the young
earnest face he found he kind of liked being called a rookie by his
assertive young teacher.

"But don't worry, sir, that's normal.  But I'm always here to help, so call
me whenever and as often as you like."

"Oh I plan on that, dude.  But, er, how can I call you after you accept the
City's job offer and go work for them?'

Ryan smiled brightly.  "Oh, I'm not going to do that.  I never wanted to
leave this job `cos I love it, and I've turned down all their previous
offers.  Only reason I nearly did it this time was `cos I wanted to keep on
being your boy, and it seemed that working with you was making you mad at
me.  But we've taken care of all that, haven't we, sir?"

Darius flashed his famous gleaming smile.  "Almost, kiddo.  Just one more
thing.  I gotta go talk to Brandon while you shut the computer down."

He went back into the main office and said, "Er, Brandon, I know how busy
you always are here, but could you do me a favor and lend Ryan to me for
another hour or so?"

Brandon grinned.  "Darius, you're as hard to say no to as Randy, though I
have managed to say no to him quite often."

"Yeah, you're famous for that, dude.  So was that a yes, buddy?"

"Of course it is.  Ryan's your boy after all.  Er, he is still your boy
isn't he?"

"You betcha, kiddo."

"So take him away and prove it, stud."

"I owe you one, Brandon."  Ryan came in and Darius said, "Brandon said I
can have you for another hour, kid, so come with me.  One more thing I
gotta do."

He took Ryan's arm and led him across the garden to the building opposite,
up to the second floor and into their bedroom.  Darius put his hands on
Ryan's shoulders.  "Ryan, I'm sorry I got mad at you and scared you like
that.  Of course you're my boy and I love you.  I enjoyed working with you
down there, and you taking charge, making me do stuff.

"But this is our bedroom, kiddo, I'm the boss here ... and I wanna prove
it."

"Yes please sir," Ryan smiled, his shyness returning.  He couldn't wait to
get his clothes off.  He pulled off his polo shirt, kicked off his
sneakers, and dropped the white shorts he always wore.

Darius gazed at the lithe, perfectly smooth body and the exotic Asian
features – almond-shaped eyes and black hair, a lock falling over his
forehead.  "God, you're beautiful.  You make my dick hard, boy."

"Let me take care of that, sir, and prove I'm your boy."  He stared at the
bare-chested muscular young black man with chiseled features and striking
green eyes, then looked down to the long shape that stretched halfway down
his thigh under his black jeans.  Ryan walked forward and kissed his man's
solid pecs, then ran his tongue over his big, hard nipples.

Slowly he sank to his knees, unbuttoned the beltless jeans and gasped as he
pulled out his master's massive ten-inch black cock.  Ryan leaned forward
and licked it, from the bulbous head all the way up to the base where he
buried his face in Darius's wiry black pubic hair.

"Suck it, boy," Darius commanded, and the Thai boy opened his mouth wide
and pushed forward, over the head and down the shaft, inch by inch by inch.
Finally, incredibly, his lips touched his pubes again as the entire cock
filled his throat.  Breathing through his nose he pulled slowly back, then
swallowed it again."

Long experience had taught Ryan how to take the whole cock, and he lived
for this ... serving his master and making him groan with pleasure.  Darius
wrapped his hand behind the boy's head and carefully pulled the beautiful
face down and back on his iron-hard shaft.

The sight and feel of the boy, his boy, excited Darius so much that he
almost lost his load in the back of Ryan's throat.  He pulled out gently
and said, "On the bed, kid."

Ryan scrambled to his feet and lay naked on his back on the bed.  Darius
pulled off his boots and dropped his jeans.  He stood at the foot of the
bed, buck naked, and Ryan moaned as he stared up at the rugged black man,
his ebony muscles rippling and gleaming in the sunlight streaming through
the window.

Man and boy were mesmerized by the sight of each.  They were both stroking
their cocks and Darius was careful to hold back his climax.  Ryan, not so
much.  Overwhelmed by the sight of his hero towering naked over him, and by
the thought of that monster cock inside him, Ryan lost control.  "No," he
groaned.  "No, I ... I ... aaagh!"  Cum spurted from his cock, arced in the
air and splashed down on his shuddering body and thrashing face.

"I'm sorry, sir ... I didn't mean ... I couldn't ..."

"Shh, kiddo.  I like you better this way." Darius bend down and pressed his
face against his boy's chest, smothering his own face in cum, then sucked
up the pool of semen form his stomach.  He leaned further forward and
kissed his boy, sharing the juice with him.  When he pulled away Ryan
licked his own semen off the dark rugged face.  "That's better, kiddo.  Now
you've shot your load I can fuck you longer before you cum again.  You
ready?"

"Yes, sir.  Yes please, sir."  Ryan slid his heels back on the bed, hooked
his hands behind his knees and pulled his legs back, offering his ass to
his hero.  Darius gently pushed the head of his cock inside and eased
slowly all the way inside his boy's tender ass.  Ryan sighed deeply, and
Darius pinned his wrists to the bed.

And that's how they made love for a long, long time, the muscled young
black construction boss, and the adoring Thai boy – no boss, no rookie,
no orders – just two young men in love.

<><> FINGERS CROSSED <><>

In the office Brandon had just hung up the phone.  His eyes shining he
said, "Vic, Noah that was Will.  He says our young immigrant chef Felipe is
up in Bob's office meeting with Alistair, the immigration lawyer.  And Will
says it sounds like good news. And just when his buddy Jamie is due back
home with Eddie and Nate from that publicity tour for Grady's movie.

"Love to know what they're saying," Vic said.  "Keeping our fingers
crossed," Noah added.

Just then they heard voices howling from the second floor across the way.
Brandon chuckled, "No need to wonder what those two are yelling about.
Sounds like Darius and Ryan are back together in a big way."

"Does that mean Ryan won't be leaving us for that other job?"

"He never meant to, Noah.  And Darius would never have let him go.  Darius
is a hard man to say no to."

"Except for you, Brandon," Vic laughed.  "You can say no to anyone, even
Randy."

"Yeah," Brandon smiled, "I'm proud to say that is one of my skills.  OK,
back to work, guys.  All this will be up on the grapevine soon enough.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Chapter 599


Hey guys, this is Rob Williams. I hope that chapter turned you on, and I
welcome your comments and suggestions, which can be very helpful in
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