Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2023 21:40:03 +0000 From: Karl M. Subject: Fire Dancer Chapter 4 - Tension I will note that this is a complete work of fantasy. This story is set in a completely fictional world. It is just a flight of my fancy. Please feel free to email me at moonlitrain@protonmail.com with feedback, comments and suggestions! To recap the tale to this point, I'd happened to meet a talented, young dancer named Kenton after a friend had taken me to see a performance by his dance company. I'd been contracted to draw the dancers for a performance programme and we'd hit it off while I was sketching him After meeting for a coffee, one impassioned kiss in the bathroom had lead to a second date. We'd hiked out into the woods and ended up in one very intense, sensual situation that culminated in a deeply pleasurable mutual masturbation session. Afterwards I'd felt the powerful glow continue to radiate through my life. Kenton and I kept in touch as he rehearsed and I worked on my illustration projects. However, doubt began to creep in again for me, as it so often did in past relationships. I wondered if the age difference between his 18 years and my 25 was too great. I worried that I was taking away his chances to play the field a bit. I hoped that I wasn't simply succumbing to the power of his sensuality and beauty. All of these nagging worries ran around my brain and added to my anxiety levels in a potent way. As you might have concluded, calm is not a trait that has a high position in my personality. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, a new concern was piled on to the teetering mountain that was looming over me. The friend with whom I'd first gone to see Kenton dance had found out from her niece that I'd been spending time with him. Of course, he was of age and so there was no legal objection to be made, but the next time I'd met her to have a coffee I got a real earful. She had taken me to task for going beyond the bounds of my professional obligation to sketch him for the performance programme, she'd asked me if I really felt it was appropriate given the gap in our ages and what stage of life Kenton was at in comparison to me and she even went so far as to say that I might affect his dancing career by involving him in a relationship that was a distraction. The discussion ended in her insisting that I break it off with him. I should have shrugged it off, I should have told her to mind her own business but a) she was a good friend and b)much of what she had said to me struck home because it was already what was worrying me. I told her that I would think seriously about what she'd said and I began doing so. All the while, I still had the image of my dancer's intoxicating beauty, grace and poise in my mind and his charming, gentle personality kept drawing me in. I was starting to feel the tension growing to an unbearable level and eventually I knew that it was going to boil over. Of course, I did the worst possible thing that I could've done under the circumstances and called Kenton in haste one night. I was secretly hoping that he wouldn't pick up but he did and I was faced with a conversation that I desperately wanted to avoid. My heart sank when I heard the joy in his voice at getting my call. "Hey Steven! What's up?" I swallowed hard. "Oh not much Kenton. I...um...there's something we need to talk about." There was a brief pause and his voice was hesitant and tinged with worry. "That doesn't sound so good. What's going on?" There was a sick feeling that lodged itself in the middle of my stomach as I replied. "Well...it's...I guess I'm a bit worried that we're taking things too quickly." Again there was a momentary hesitation and Kenton's resonant voice was shaded by growing nervousness. "I...don't think we are. I mean we're attracted to each other and so we acted on it. I don't think it was too much though. You're worrying me, Steven." My voice trembled when I spoke again. "Maybe we ought to dial it back even more though. It's a really important time for you and I don't want to mess things up for you. You need to concentrate on dancing." Worry was now palpable in his voice, but there was also the hint of anger creeping in. "No, no it's my choice and I can balance things. I don't think it's up to you to tell me about my dancing and my life outside of it. If I think I can handle dating you, then I can handle it." It was pretty tough to argue with what he was saying, but the fires of guilt were raging in me now and I'm also a stubborn person. "Don't get me wrong, I still want to see you but maybe we need to keep things cool." Suspicion had joined worry and anger in Kenton's voice. "What's this really about, Steven? Are you not interested any more? I mean you can just say so if you're not and..." Now I was panicked. "No, no I am interested. I just...Christina took me to task over it after Hannah told her that you had mentioned dating me. She made me start to question what's happening. I just hope I am thinking clearly." The tension decreased slightly when Kenton replied. "To me, it seems obvious that we've got a connection. Trust me, I've been looking after myself since I was in my early teens, I know what I'm doing. Of course, if the relationship fucked up my dancing, I'd drop it fast. I just wanna know that you're into me enough to stand up for what we have. Are you, Steven?" I set my jaw and nodded to myself. "I am! I want to keep on getting to know you. I'm just too nervous about what other people think." Kenton sighed. "Funny that Hannah said the same stuff to me! She told me that I'd only get hurt chasing after an older guy and that she hoped I wouldn't mess up my life and impact my dancing. I was nice about it but I basically told her what I told you. I know my own mind and what I want." My resolve was crumbling and I let out a long sigh. "Shit...I guess that I just showed you what an asshole I can be huh?" It was Kenton's turn to sigh. "I mean, I get it but give me some credit okay? I'm only seven years younger than you for one thing. I'm not a fragile flower either. If I really didn't think I was making the correct decision, I just wouldn't do anything with you. Now are we going to keep on going or is this it?" Now my tone was emphatic. "We are going to keep on going! I think this is too much of a good thing to quit on. I owe you an apology Kenton. I panicked and I'm sorry." His voice was warmer and more gentle now. "Don't worry about it, Steven. Just try not to make a habit of it. If you're ever scared, let's just talk about things with each other first. Let's also both promise not to listen to people who want to criticize us, at least not without considering what's coming out of their mouths." What Kenton was saying made a lot of sense and I couldn't really argue. "Okay I promise to communicate and try to think first before getting all freaked out." We finished our conversation by arranging a date. I decided it was time to let Kenton see my apartment and my studio so I invited him over. After we hung up with one another, I flopped back onto my sofa. I still felt the lingering worry that my discussion with Christina had engendered, but I pushed it away. Kenton was the best (and most breathtakingly beautiful ) person I'd met in a long while and I couldn't toss him aside that readily. Part of me was hoping for us to tear the clothing from one another and intensely entangle ourselves in impassioned sexual madness and another part was dreading the all-consuming nature of the desire that I felt for Kenton. I was hungry for his body and equally hungry for his fierce soul, but my friend's damnable words lingered in my head. The very thought that I could adversely impact this glorious human being's passion and career was one that chilled me deeply. After building up the stress levels, I went and worked out for an hour to burn off the nervous tension and worry. I have an annoyingly obsessive personalty and once it starts to circle around a topic, I find it quite hard to shake the need to worry away at it all. Workouts tend to break the cycle and force my focus onto the simple physical task that faces me. I was sweaty, tired but fizzing with endorphins as I went back to my apartment and threw myself in the shower, letting the steamy water beat down on me. After I got out of the shower, I started to set things up for Kenton's apartment visit, trying to make things comfy and simple. I opted for grilling some soy-marinated wild salmon steaks, serving them with sautéed lemon broccoli and some rice and fresh snow pea pods in the rice. It was in keeping with his need to eat well as a dancer while still being flavourful. I made sure that everything was as perfect as my perfectionistic brain was capable of demanding from me. I had things just about to the point that I was ready for Kenton's arrival and a sense of calm pervaded me. I could still feel the nagging desire that enveloped me each time his beautiful, sexy presence filled my mind. It was a thrill that sent blood surging to my groin, giving me a throbbing erection in record time. I knew that it was the overwhelming force of his alluring body and compelling personality that drove my need but I tried to resist its pull. My heart sped up as I heard Kenton buzzing up. The thought of his nearness was irresistible and deeply thrilling. I opened the door and stood, simply drinking him in. He wore a pair of loose, narrow-waisted pants in a soft cloth with a form-fitting shirt that hugged all of his muscled chest in a perfect mixture of concealing and revealing. His flame-red hair was like a fiery halo and his deep emerald gaze held mine and kept it held. I stuttered out a welcome and watched him flow, feline and proud, into the room. His stunning smile lit up his fine-featured face as he turned a slow spin in my apartment. "So this is home huh?" I made a valiant attempt to recover my composure and not just throw myself at him in a gigantic explosion of desire. "Yup, it is. I know it's nothing fancy but I certainly do find it a good place to be." Kenton drifted past and let his long, strong fingers slip across my shoulders. It was a simple motion but it felt sensuous and meaningful. I silently wondered if he was doing this on purpose to test me. I was beginning not to give a good goddamn about the worries that had occupied my mind. He turned to face me now, his emerald eyes endless pools in which to sink. "I know it might have been hard for you to invite me over. Maybe I was a bit...um...dismissive of your concerns when we talked last. I can understand why you're worried and why Hannah's aunt was worried." He held out a hand to me and I took it, squeezing it in my own as he drew me a little closer. "I get it, Stephen, I do but you don't need to worry. I want this and I'm ready for whatever happens." Without hesitation, I drew him right up to me and pulled him to me. It seemed the only natural motion under the circumstances and our mouths met in a luscious kiss. It was melting, tender and passionate in a way that erased any doubt that I had. I tugged him down onto the couch with me and felt his lithe, powerful frame move against me. I want to do what happened next full justice, so I'll leave you all waiting. Believe me, the wait is only going to make the next chapter of this tale even sweeter.