Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2021 21:57:37 +0000 From: TCHASE MCPHEE Subject: `See The Good In All Things' 18 % This work of fiction is set in the format of real-world situations. Identifying details to real people, alive or dead, is entirely coincidental in nature. % Countries have various rules regarding reading or viewing `adult material'. It is up to you, the reader, to research this subject, abiding by laws and conscience. The pages of this story contain `adult material', intended for an `adult audience.' Bypass this warning at your own risk! % If sexual scenes involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then why are you here? Seriously, if dude-to-dude sex stuff makes you wanna barf or is gonna screw up your mind, you should not read this story. % Sexual safety matters. Guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection and I don't mean going out and hiring a security guard...unless he gives your nuts and bolt a jolt! % Hey dudes, if you have enjoyed reading NiFTy stories as much as I have over the years, consider adding some $upport for `internet $pace' or else I will have to start cutting handsome, hairy or steamy characters out of my stories. Do you dare imagine a story without any tops? :( http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html % `See The Good In All Things' 18 WriTten by T. Chase McPhee (Dr. Richard Webster: flashback: more of his former life with Derek) % The past evening slipped into the next morning's sunrise. Derek's home had much glass, instead of solid wall to wall concrete, as his father's blueprint planned it that way. As Richard turns over, yawning, he had to hold up a hand to shield his eyes from the sun's rays. Finding only himself in the bed, he calls out, "Derek?" With no response forthcoming, Richard gets up out of bed and goes looking for a place to relieve himself. First door he opens is a closet. "Bigger than some fitting rooms," he's been in, Richard walks to the back and returns. Not thinking, which he should have, gives him even more reason to hurry up and find the jon. Richard does have a mixture of needing to piss, but also his hand feels the crusty remains of last night's sex! "Idiot!" No one to blame but himself, Richard condemns himself for not trying the door which was already cast open. Rushing in, at least he was thankful he was naked, finding the toliet seat up and all ready to trickle out his stream of piss, remarking to himself, "whew, that was a close one!" Figuring Derek is downstairs, whipping them up a breakfast, Richard decides to shower. Sliding one of the clear doors aside, he peers in. "What tha?" Looking from left to right, up and down, straightforward, for the life of him, he can't discover how to turn the water on. Standing there, all naked and ready to get the scuzz off his bod, Richard finally reacts to his predicament, "how in the hell does the water go on?" It goes on! Testing, Richard orders the shower, "water off?" It goes off. "Water on." Before climbing a foot over the wall, "if life could only be that simple!" He waits, watching the water trickle. Finding it suitable, it puts a leg over the tub wall, but quickly retrieves it, "oh shit that's cold!" By his actions, Richard realizes it's how to turn the shower on, or how to regulate the temperature, "medium warm?" It was perfect, Richard stepping in, proud of himself he had figured it out. Allowing the water cast down over his shoulders, his one mistake was voicing his opinion, "ooooh, so much better than cold." The showerhead spewed ice cold water, which had Richard screaming, "no, hot," then finally learning, "no, medium. Medium warm!" For the rest of his shower Richard kept his mouth shut. He found it exhillarating and by the end, knew enough to step out before calling it quits, "off." When he steps out, a pink light goes on overhead, Richard thinking, "how gay!" However, it wasn't there to proclaim anyone's gay pride, but to cast a glow of warmth, cascading it down over Richard's head. Having knowledge of the blowy hand drying machine, he wipes hands over his bod, which helped dry him off, but when fluffing his balls, Richard started to react. At first it felt too good to turn back, but had had enough with the unruly shower! He also started 'talking to' the bathroom, "I don't suppose you have a hair dryer?" The air began to stir. It had Richard moving towards the source, the vanity. There he found an array of combs and brushes. Choosing one, he studied the cans, looking for nothing in particular. He picked up one, "mousse? Nah," he replaces it on the cutout storage spot. Finding himself satisfied he was done, Richard heads towards the door, but turns, again talking with the room, "Jon, you wouldn't happen to have some deodorant?" Standing in the frame of the door, there is no reaction, except the lights going out, which has Richard saying, "rude!" He never found the deodorant, but being he tried no less three of the soaps in the shower, he couldn't help but smell how nice he cleaned up. Moving on, Richard found yesterday's threads. Right out of bed in the morning he either chose tank top and shorts, lycra, but finding cotton, what could he think, being picky. Everything looked too refined for him. 2xist, instead of Hanes? Though, the lux briefs felt nothing like he was used to, which was a good thing. What was nice too, he could choose between colors. For the rest of his outfit, Richard decides, since there's nothing on his slate, why not go as is and make up the rest of the outfit later? The cotton felt repulsive to have it touch his clean skin. He shucked off the briefs. Searched the other drawers, good thing he didn't give up, coming to black briefs, labeled, 'Pair of Thieves'. "Yeah, baby," he fed his legs in. They felt like gloves he uses for jogging in brisk weather. He found a mishmash of tops, but nothing like he had at home. Settling, Richard exits the room in only briefs. In the hallway last night he didn't notice the mirror which almost extended down to the ankles. Gazing at himself he smiles, thinking how sexy it looks, the brief logo on the waistband, about four inches below his tiger trail, "that'll get Derek's attention!" Descending the stairs in the lycra briefs, Richard had the impression of the first thing he'd pick up on is the aromas coffee or bacon and eggs. Instead, plain old house air. First room he sees, off of the hallway, is a dining room. As with upstairs, the downstairs is riddled with the same glass interior. When he looks in the next room, it provides the reason for Richard's reaction, "oh cool," he enters and fingers the pool sticks and takes a shot at an unfinished game. It ricochets to the other side of the table, bounces over the wall, klunks onto the wooden floor and then hears it rolling away. "Guess I'm out of practice," he guesses. Going on a hunt for it, not seeing it, Richard hoped it wouldn't go missed! Before he returned to the hallway, he didn't make the same mistake twice, walking towards an open archway. Sure enough, the game room was attached to another, which leads Richard into the library. Bookcases zigzag up and down the walls. As with the diningroom and game room, the library is illuminated by outdoor lighting of the sun, via huge glass windows. He spots something and in seeing it outside the window, investigates. Instead of it going outdoors to the swimming pool, he passes from the library, into another room. It's strange, walking outside and looking up, Richard sees sky, but not 'pure' sky, "what the?" Ever since he awoke, there's been strangeness built on the strange, which it doesn't startle Richard when a head pops up out of the water. He expected Derek. "Hey, who are you?" It was right on the tip of Richard's tongue to ask the same! "Richard. And you are?" "Noah Ellis, Derek's pool boy and whatever else he needs help with." Richard couldn't right off tell, if that smile were sinister or otherwise, but upon getting closer, that adorable face couldn't be anything but angelic! Hauling himself up, out of the water, Richard wondered if he did any pool cleaning? "Nice to meet you, Richard," Noah held out his wet hand. "Same." Richard tried not making it obvious, that Noah wasn't wearing a swimsuit. "So, what's your job? Please tell me you're Derek's new chef?" Richard didn't mind the chit chat, catching glimpses of Noah's dripping pubes, "not that I know of. Why, does every guy he brings home, gets added to the household staff?" "Household staff? If that is the case, you're lookin' at him!" That smile, opening up to laughter, how could Richard not laugh along! Noah walks over and picks up a screened implement, at the end of a long pole, "I got my job off the virtual bulletin board at school. It's supposed to be keeping the pool clean, but I don't mind doing the extra, emptying the garbage or keeping the driveway free of leaves." "That's nice of you," Richard thought, along with nice of Noah not to wear a swimsuit! Being he was over-aged for ninth grade, Richard, in discovering which grade he belonged, figured Noah not falling into the high school category, "you go to college?" "Princeton. You?" Still confused over his transition from ninth grade to senior status, Richard plays it cool, "graduating high school this year." Should Richard read into it, Noah saying, "cool, that would make us the same age?" Richard was glad of that. Not only did he love the view of Noah, from his cute, moppy head down to his hanging balls, but his easygoing attitude, "probably." No need to mention he was seventeen, when he was months away from his eighteenth birthday. "Hey, you want to take a swim?" "Nah. Just showered. What I was doing, is looking for Derek," slips, "he didn't come to bed last night." "Oh," Noah leans on the skimmer pole much like a lamp post, "I didn't know you knew Derek 'that' well." Either he was dense or Noah was trying to figure things out, why a high school student is sleeping with Derek, a high school guidance counselor? "Derek and me, we used to be (more than friends), but we're not now, (lovers)." Richard was honest, not knowing Derek for more than two months, (so, that doesn't make us lovers) in case you're wondering. Either Noah was satisfied with the explanation or had theories dancing around in his head, trying to make heads or tails of it. Certainly Richard was hot, but unattached would be better, "oh. Okay. Well, if you haven't found him, he's right over there." Walking the length of the pool, Noah guides Richard past one more room, "Derek's study is right here." There was no reflection of light, which gave Richard a clear view of the room. Apparently Derek's desk faces the inside of the room. However, whereas his back would be towards the pool, the swivel chair had been swung around, Derek's sleeping bod facing the window. Arms folded across his middle, one had slipped down, lying in the well of both legs. His head was tilted back, mouth slightly open. The pivot of his head lying back, made him snore. "Did he sleep like that all night?" "Don't know," Noah says. "I got here around eight this morning. He was sleeping the whole time I was here. He never flinched a muscle." Right off, Richard thinks how observant Noah is! He wanted to say something, Richard thinking up, "got an idea." "About?" "Waking Derek up, if you're game for a little fun?" The door to Derek's study was wider, about one and a half mansized. At first the seventeen and twenty year-old's couldn't pass through, next to each other. Noah bows out, "after you." "No, you go first." "No, you." They both oblige each other, winding up in the same predicament. Richard sorts things out, taking the alpha role, "you go first." Noah humbles himself, also solving the problem, "how about we go together?" Wondering where he was going with this, Richard is surprised out of his gourd when Noah hugs him and they side-step in through the opening. "Awesome!" Richard declares, feeling Noah's hairy bod on his own fuzzy pecs. One step ahead, Noah says, "I know." In his own thinking, it felt cool having Richard's crotch rub up against his own. Having his intentions in place, Richard whispers, "you take the left, I'll grab the right." Accepting, Noah counts, "one, two, three!" Both slip hands under Derek's pits, opposite hands under thighs and lifting up, begin carrying him away, through the door. Waking, at first Derek hadn't a clue, "where am I?" Carried through the double doors of his study, and the pool being right outside, "no guys, come on!" Not the plan Richard had intended, he and Noah, at the deep end, wound up jumping in with Derek, instead of giving the homeowner a rude awakening! If not enough friendly abuse, when Derek surfaces from the deep, he's hit in the face by a pair of sopping wet black briefs. It was Noah's, not having gotten around to slipping them off. From what he knew of last night, filling in the blanks with guessing, Richard says, "serves you right Derek, for leaving me to wake up alone!" "Yeah," Noah seconds it. "Oh really?" Derek stares at Richard, "and how would you know anything of that, Noah?" "A wild guess?" Noah laughs. With a leaf floating by, Derek says, "well, it's obviously you haven't been doing your job!" He makes an attempt to toss the wet leaf to Noah, but it goes no more than a few inches. Noah doesn't mind fetching. Swimming to the shallow end, his eyes are on the skimming net he dropped when first laying eyes on Richard, the initial shock setting in. "Where are you going?" Richard asks, Derek almost behind Noah's paddling legs. "I gotta like, piss something fierce." Making like a transformer, Derek goes from swim mode into standing, then stepping up the three steps till rushing water becomes drips. Richard, who has followed, comes to Noah's side, saying, "Derek, he's gotta take a leak." Noah's attention wasn't all on Derek. He wasn't sure what to say, so thought up something stupid, "by the way, how'd you like the feeling of Derek's balls banging against your hand when we were carrying him?" Par, something stupid warrants fair game in return, "did it get your motor running?" Glancing down, between Richard's legs, then back to answer the question, Noah smiles, saying, "let's say, it got the pistons pumping!" When questioning if either knew anything about cars, they came up, 'no!' "Back," Derek says, intently providing a division between the two, working his butt down between shouders, using Richard and Noah to steady himself as he plops himself down with a splash, "did ya miss me?" "Of course," Richard replies. Noah, staring Richard in the eyes, over Derek's walled, hairy chest, "we sure did." He didn't mean it to, but Derek's arms engulfed the two lads around the back, hands draping over the front, "ah, one big, happy family!" A little jealously did seep into Richard's brain, "oh really?" Derek drops both hands, sliding down their backs. He would have likened to digging a finger into each asscrack, instead cradling their hips, much like he was hugging himself. Sensing he was the third man, Noah gets up, saying, "it's getting late. Gotta get going." Looking up, whereas his face came almost into Noah's pubes, Derek says, "you don't have to go." Richard, who was taking a liking to Noah's company, "no, stay." From a remote buzzer they hear the front doorbell sound. "You want me to get that?" Still engaged in looking at Noah's junk, Derek says, "yeah, but you better cover that up first?" Only thing Noah could readily find, was Richard's black briefs, which were water-logged, "mind if I use these, Ritchie?" 'Ritchie' vs. Richard, now there was a new one. Coming from a cutie like Noah, well sometimes the whole persona of a dude could have an influence on reciprocal attraction. "Not at all," Richard says. With the second sounding of the bell, Noah takes off. The briefs, they were probably much easier to go on when dry. Rather than stop and take double the time to fit his feet in, Noah holds them up as loin cover. When he opens the door, there's 'no one!' When he gets back to the pool, Derek asks, "who was it, Boy Scout cookies?" Richard asks, "do they even sell Boy Scout cookies?" "I wish," Noah says. "Um," Derek questions, like Noah forgot, "who then?" "Some house-buyer who was wondering if I was interested in selling." Richard wisely says, "are you sure he was interested in the house?" For certain, even though Noah is two years older, that boyhood charm could mistake him for being younger. Only thing keeping one from supposing that, what he was packing down yonder! Sketchy now on the details, "I could be wrong?" Instead of returning to the pool, Noah takes a seat about seven feet away. At first he sits. Then, when he sees Richard and Derek engage in their own conversation, he gets up, adjusts the chair to lounging and lies down on his stomach. If Noah had waited, he could have avoided wrestling with the lounge chair, only to get 40 winks. Derek was compelled to tell Richard, not so much on how him and Noah met, but how he pitied how the twenty year old was living, offering him a job to earn some money. As it happened, they were attracted to each other, which led to them cuddling up in bed. With time passing, Noah stayed at the house more than returning home. "Sounds like a familiar story," Richard pauses the story, smiling. "If what you're getting here," Derek presents in antidotal manner, "is I lure young men into my web, like I'm auditioning them for a household position?" "Really? Is that what you think?" Shrugging his shoulders, it's not what Derek thought. Richard might've had it rough, but he wasn't a rough'n'tumble kind of character, except when it came to roughing it between the sheets, "not at all. Sorry if I made it sound that way?" "If we weren't in the pool, I'd have you on your knees, issuing a formal apology!" Reaching for Richard's torso, Derek dips his head underwater! Forcing his head to bob up out of the deep, Richard says, "um, it's tough for me to get an erection in the water?" Accepting it, Derek knows, other than a shower-for-two, how tought that can be, "doesn't hurt to try." They exchange a glance, connected with smiles, "yeah, well maybe later. What were you going to say about Noah?" With a look of question on his face, Derek says, "huh, forgot!" "I know. I have that affect on guys." "Nuthin' like being humble!" Derek was being cute, which it became possible, if they dried off, he might warm up into getting hard over some hands and mouth-on activity. However, his interest was already up there, "about Noah?" Noah in danger of failing in his senior year of high school, there wasn't much to tell, other than his guidance counselor responsible for him bringing his grades up before it became too late and, "nothing much else, other than finding the appropriate colleges to apply to." "But Princeton?" Richard questions, it being a highly prestigious choice, "I know a person doesn't have to be a genius, but from failing, to being in the top of his classes?" "Hmm, sounds like someone else I know!" It wasn't the same circumstances, but when Derek made it possible for Richard to skip from ninth grade, to senior year, "it doesn't take a miracle?" "You got me there." When Richard enrolled in high school, he forged his father's name. Not the first time he's done so, for whatever else required parental authorization, he thought it would be smooth sailing. Unforseen was a pesky guidance counselor, who tried to track down his legal guardian. If none of this came to pass, passing from ninth to tenth grades, then onto eleventh and twelfth, Richard might have been stuck in tenth grade next year. None of this would have happened if it wasn't for 'Mr. Winters'. Recalling that Richard was ready to give up, when things went crazy in his life, it was Derek who took a difficult situation and helped make it right. Richard didn't have any money, so Derek took the monetary burden on himself. Through pulling strings with people he knew, an attorney, a school board member, the principal and superintendent of schools, it was Derek who was responsible to push Richard to the brink of seeing June as graduating from high school. At the same time, he helped Richard with the ups and downs of an emotional roller coaster, which had him saying, "seems to me, once upon a time there was another high school student who was ready to give up?" "Yeah," Derek said it like an apology, "I'm afraid that was the case. I owe you a lot." "And, it's not like you haven't been working on paying me back!" They smiled at each other. Even though Derek claimed their romp in between the sheets had nothing to do with payback, every time they had sex, Richard claimed it was part of what he had due, like he kept track of it in a financial ledger! Richard was glad for two things, "well, I'm glad you didn't go on and on about it, because I'm getting kind of hungry for breakfast!" Derek agreed, which had them walk up the stairs, out of the pool. Taking on a different matter, Derek says, "so, you're okay with that, I mean Noah?" "Not my feelings being hurt. I think you better run that by Noah?" Derek agrees, "thank you counselor!" On the scene of Noah lying faced down, Richard says, "nice view." Of Noah's slightly tanned ass, Derek says, "I agree." His mind was on the hairy ass crevice, but also on what he was going to say to Noah. "Uh, Noah?" "What?" Noah replies, without turning over. After a few seconds silence, Richard taps Derek's arm, mentions to 'go on,' cocking his head to motion, 'continue.' "Um, what I wanted to say is," Derek knew, but didn't know how to put it. This time Richard's gesture was more pronounced, for Derek to cut the crap and get on with it. He didn't say it vocally, but mouthed it, 'okay!' "Uh, what I wanted to say is, I'm sorry I didn't say anything about Richard being here when you got back. Can you ever forgive me?" Richard thought Derek's apology sounded decent and sincere. It made Derek smile at him. In his mind, Noah had it all figured out. On account of he thought Richard was one of the hottest guys he's ever laid eyes on, he didn't really need an apology. Though, being it was on the table, he turns to accept. "Oh shit, that hurt!" While Noah lay there, looks like he thought too much about Richard's hot looks, the sturdy pecs, light covering of dark foliage, the stripe down his abs, which if he worked out, could make him look more stealth, the deep innie and a tiger trail to die for. Only, it looks like he thought too 'hard'! He saw a toddler get his head stuck in a fence once, but Richard never saw a dude's cock and balls get stuck in the lattice work of a lounge chair! "I've got it," Derek bends over to release Noah out of his predicament. It made Richard smile, seeing Derek straddle the lounge chair, walking awkwardly from Noah's feet, midway up his back. It was comical to Richard, to see Derek's cock and balls hanging down, shimmying to and fro with his stepping. The kicker was when Derek stopped, the tip of his shaft almost touched Noah's ass! That was a predicament for Derek, when reaching down, the only place he thought to grab hold was at Noah's pits. The problem, if he did reach down, surely his cock would fall in the crack, which had him saying, "uh, Richard, I know you're enjoying the view, but mind giving a hand here?" He was, but to throw Derek off, "what view?" Cocking his head was enough for Richard to take Derek's hint. Too, his stomach was starting to growl for breakfast. "Where do you want me?" "Head of the chair if you don't mind?" Truthfully, after Derek sent Richard to the head of the chair, he wished he was in Noah's place. He could just picture, Richard pulling up on Noah's arms and his mouth right there in front of his boyfriend's pubes. Noah, he could've very well have freed himself, no big deal, but loved the attention! "One, two, three!" Only one problem, Derek never told Richard where to lift, which has him still at Noah's pits and lifting, which proves to fail, "oh shit!" Noah did feel it, his shaft already through the plastic weave, but his balls now under pressure. From Richard's perspective, Derek lying on Noah's back, it might have proved there was some penetration, which has him non-condemning, "must feel pretty good, eh Derek?" Noah reacts, "feels good to me!" Derek says, "I think you might have something there, No?" It seemed like Derek led him to this place, Noah saying, "really, Derek? And in front of your boyfriend? What's he gonna think?" Both at once, Derek says, "he's not", Richard saying, "he's not", simultanerously rendering, "not my boyfriend," slighly out of sync. "Cool," Noah thinks on it, not saying, 'that changes everything'. Richard, who's poor stomach feels like an empty drum, quips, "get up. Let me give him a try." That got Noah's balls a-churning! "Well," Derek goes a pushup and then push off, "if you think you can do better!" Noah was in his element, attracted to Richard in so many ways, now with the aspect of having his cock smooshed against his ass. However, according to Noah, it wasn't as good as it could have gotten, Richard grabbing him at the waist and not even timing it with 1-2-3, arms around his torso and pulling him up. Unfortunately for him, it had pulled the whole package out without feeling much of any of a turn on. "There, now do us all a favor, Noah and lay down on a towel to take a nap." Derek knew Noah hated hearing that, but with the situation remedied, claps his hands together, "who's up for some breakfast?" From sorting out his trapped balls, Noah was, 'up' and out of the chair, volunteering, "only if I do the cooking?" His father being an excellent chef, Derek's kitchen had some layout. Everything looked brand new, multi-burner stove, stainless refrigerator, a marbled kitchen island, missing, "where's the dishwasher?" "Right over here," Noah shows Richard how everything fits flush with the cabinetry. While there, Noah removes some linens from a drawer, telling Richard, "turn around." "Um, you're not going to..." Shaking out the linen apron, Noah says, "no, but I might let you do me!" Knowing he's been there, done that, Richard asks, "are you as tight as Derek?" Kinky smile, Noah says, "that's for me to know and you to find out!" Richard didn't know what to think of the peck Noah gave him on the lips, other than thinking, 'yeah, that was kind of sweet!' Derek, reading the morning paper, had gazed over the top, "any more of that and we'll have to take it upstairs!" It teases Noah to know, "you into three's, Ritchie?" With anyone else, Richard would be too embarrassed to mention, but felt cool with Noah, "I don't know. Last night I had my first 'two'!" He did think he was blushing, feeling his face flush, but without thinking, Richard kept rigid behind his words, like he had something to prove to someone, about how much he cared for another individual. Derek was busy behind his paper. Noah was aware of the private stalker, "oh, you don't have to feel like that, Ritchie." He comes over, hugging Richard at the hips. "It's not like we all haven't been through our first time and have had to admit it to someone else?" That made Derek raise an eyebrow or two! Not which he thought Noah would do anything intentional to make him jealous. It had gotten him to thinking before this, that perhaps his relationship unfolding with Richard, in the early stages was not that much different with Noah. A little guilt started to set in, realizing how much he loved Noah. Because, at the mention of the word, 'love', the eighteen year old freaked out, said he was taking a week's vacation. It was good it happened, Noah not coming back for two months, giving both time out. He didn't want the same to happen with Richard, so watched his 'language'. 'Funny how life teaches us!' He repeats it over a couple of times, 'funny how life...teaches us. Funny how life teaches us.' "Hey guys," Derek gets up off his rump, "I gotta go write something down. You'll be okay without me?" Whether they didn't hear or ignored him, Derek left the kitchen. Finally Richard was putting two and two together, "you," his pointer finger almost touches Noah's chest, "and Derek, were you in love?" They both turned to where Derek had been sitting. "Hey, where'd he go?" Noah answers, "don't worry. He'll be back." "Yeah," Richard supposed. "So, my question?" Noah, wouldn't have said it, if he didn't feel safe, comfortable about sharing, "yeah, Derek and I had someting going, but it didn't seem totally right." He had an idea of why Richard wanted to know, however wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth, "why do you ask?" Thinking Noah a cool guy, Richard confides, "I've never been in love before, so don't really know if it is, but I like Derek very much." "I suppose that's why I went away, to see was liking him or really love." "And?" Noah smiles, "I came back." Richard states, "to find Derek had another man in his bed!" Still connected at the waist, Noah runs a hand through Richard's hair as he kisses him. All this talk about love, Richard couldn't deny he wasn't feeling it, reeling Noah in with a hand on the back of his head, dropping to both shoulders, in a fervent embrace. "You two oughta get a room!" Coming back in the kitchen, there were two things different about Derek. He had 2xist briefs packaging up his cock and balls, rounding off his ass. He was also carrying his notebook journal. The other two, their private areas were wrapped up in khaki aprons and with the closeness of their embrace, they were starting to feel as hot as a warming oven! Derek could have jotted down some notes in his study, but didn't want to miss out on any of the action, "don't let me stop you two!" Wise to seeing Derek and his notebook, Noah picks up on a memory flashback, "are you still working on your book? I thought by now," he breaks off his hold on Richard and walks over to the counter, "you would have been finished?" Richard follows, "book?" Noah knew Richard hadn't a clue, turning and saying, "he didn't tell you?" "Nope," Richard shrugs both shoulders. Derek shrugs back, "I guess it slipped my mind." Richard asks, "how long have you been working on it?" "Almost since first year of college." Noah has the insight, "people who are not authors haven't a clue to how much research goes into a book, right Derek?" He smiles, knowing Noah quoted him, word by word, "that's right." Something Richard hadn't realized, like what does a seventeen year old, having skipped over tenth and eleventh grades, know? Regardless, he wasn't so sure there was a deeper connection than just friends, the way Noah and Derek are smiling at each other. Approaching the place where Derek sat, Noah stood at his right shoulder, Richard on the left. Their eyes met in the middle. Both looking down, upon Derek's hairy front, then up, adding a more indented look to their lips, like maybe they were hungry for more than eggs? Almost feeling the sensation of eyes on his pecs, Derek clears his throat, "ahem. Anyone interested in my book?" "Sure we're interested," Noah leads the way. "Of course," Richard says, his hand still feeling the heat of the moment. Derek, sitting tall in the saddle, begins speaking by mentioning the title, "for Ritchie's benefit, the title of the book is, 'Look For The Good In All People.'" 'Cute', Richard notices, calling him the same nickname Noah has pinned on him! Noah interrupts, "that's not what you were calling it," he now regretted leaving without notice, "last time I was here?" It's something that had been on Derek's mind, Noah leaving one morning, phoning later, saying he was going on vacation for a week and not hearing from him for a couple months, but it was good he had his book to talk about, to keep from discussing matters in front of Richard. As if Noah never mentioned 'time', Derek says, "that's subject to change, as I keep gathering information." Richard sensed there was more, but didn't want to pry into their business, "so, about the book, Derek?" "Oh," Derek exclaims, "about that." Turning to the place where he's scratched out the title twice, Derek writes as he recites, "Funny. How. Life. Teach-es. Us. I had to write that down." He sits back and admires it, "what do you think? Good?" Richard waits for Noah to make comment, not wanting to let Derek to know he wasn't a fan of the new title. Outspoken, Noah says point blank, "you can't be serious. That sucks worse than anything you've thought up so far!" As life was teaching Richard, he finds Derek not at all disturbed about Noah's frankness, so ventures to share his real opinion, "yeah, it does kinda suck." "Oh really?" Derek throws his pen down. "Why does it feel like I'm being ganged up on?" Based on the family turmoil he's been through over the past few years and striking out on his own, Richard theorizes, "there's always a better way." Putting Richard on the spot, Noah smiles, "maybe Ritchie's got an idea?" The other two, looking to Richard, forms opinion, "now, who's ganging up on who?" All things considering, right now, in this place in time, Richard felt right and good with himself. From getting the shit end of the stick for most of his teen years, life in high school could have spelled getting bullied by Blade, Chance and who knows who else, taking pot shots at someone else to compensate for their own feelings of despair. Derek and Noah were there for Richard, in a lull of conversation, waiting, since it looked as if he wasn't quite finished in his thinking. After a short duration, Derek asks, "and?" Melancholy, a flush feeling comes over Richard, which has him with the sense of wanting to shed tears, but stands brave, "if ever I had the choice of having two guys gang up on me, it would be you guys, if I'm making any sense?" "Me," Noah slaps himself in the chest, "I haven't done anything?" "Then, speaking for myself, Derek's done a lot for me this past school year." It softens Noah's heart, "I guess if it wasn't for you being here, Ritchie, I probably wouldn't have known how good I've got it." Being a psych, Derek knows how this can go, people caught up in all this mushy, thankful stuff. Maybe he was saying this for his own benefit, caught up in their web, "uh, you guys ready for me to set the table?" Noah says, "I think this is Derek's attempt to tell us his stomach's growling!" "Sure, he's sitting there reading the paper and we're working our buns off." Picking his newspaper up, Derek says, "and such lovely buns!" Richard wasn't a cook, baker, nor cultivated knowledge about anything in the kitchen, except for basics, "if you can find some cereal, I'm good at prepping a bowl?" Noah looks at him like he's an alien from Planet X, "you're joking, right?" "No." "When I'm in the kitchen, I'm in my element." Sketchy on what Noah is saying, "which means, what?" "I didn't dress you in that apron to pour milk into a cereal bowl," Noah says, smiling. "What's wrong with krispies or flakes?" On the opposite side of the kitchen island, Derek was following, in between reading about the summer garden. Taking Richard by an arm around the shoulders, Noah reveals, "there's so much more; eggs over easy, waffles, pancakes, have you ever heard of a frittata?" Derek's dirty mind was thinking 'sausage'! "No," Richard replies. "I mean, I had a fra-ta-ta once, but never made one. I think it was a fra-ta-ta." "Okay," Noah assumes the role of head chef, taking Richard under his wing, literally leading him over to the cupboard, "we're making pancakes." Opening a floor to ceiling cupboard, Richard didn't see anything premade, "looks like Derek's out of pancake mix." Noah gasps, "mix?" "How else are you going to make pancakes?" Pursuing Richard's ignorance of substances, Noah says, "what do you think is in a box of pancake mix?" "Flour and something to flavor it?" Regardless of whether it's in a box or assembled, Noah speculates, "you've got a lot to learn in the kitchen Ritchie." Having looked upon the twenty year old, Richard didn't see much different in their frames. Both had nice pecs, slim abs and like himself, a hint of hair below the navel. With the apron on, it singled out Noah's chest at the top, seeing a thin layer of fuzziness. He looked down at himself, when he thought Noah wasn't looking, to compare chests. 'Yup', he had more hair there than him. But apparently, Noah knew something fishy was going on. When Richard looks up, a pair of eyes are zooming in on him, "done checking out yourself?" Snagged, Richard makes up, "just checking to make sure the apron is tied so it won't fall off." Being that the top was looped over the head and not tied at the neck, Noah knew that wouldn't happen. Around the waist, that was a different story. Either way, "now, wouldn't that be a shame!" Derek, off and on following the conversation, agrees! "Okay, I'll level with you, but don't think I'm being kinky or anything?" "Kinky?" Noah's eyes light up. "Whatever you're into, bring it on!" Being Noah was so agreeable, Richard furthers, "okay, but if it gets too weird, you'll tell me to stop?" Still tied at the top, Richard unloops his head and allows the apron to fall forward, revealing everything down to the waist below his navel. "Okay, what am I looking at besides a bod to die for?" Richard thought it the opportune moment, "for a comment like that, you deserve gratitude!" He steps forward, placing hands on Noah's waist, kisses him and then backs off. "Really? For a cheap kiss like that, Ritchie, I'll have to tone it down next time!" Derek wishes he were a sandwich! For real, Richard, once into kissing, didn't want it to be worth a nickel, more like a million bucks, "for that price," he steps in once again, this time reaching up for the loops around Noah's neck. Noah feels redeemed, Richard having unveiled the front of his bod, allowing the apron to fall forward. Once done with what was holding it in place, he feels hands in between his arms, then on the sides of his bod. Traveling around the back, reeling Noah in for payback. From the wings, "if you guys are trying to make me hard, it's working!" They paid Derek no mind until their lips were satiated. When they pause, Noah says, "when do we get to the kinky part?" "Oh," Richard is frank, "that wasn't about kissing." "Oh really? Well, I do have other sensitive parts?" Derek says more for his own benefit, "don't we all?" Noah was being so cute, standing his ground, hand on one hip. Four years and a coupla months older, Richard senses Noah having much more expertise, "me too, though I don't know which is more sensitive, my cock or my balls?" Sensitivity of the subject, had Richard giggling! "Well," Noah remarks, stepping in a few steps, almost matching their chests up, "that's easily solved, Ritchie." Richard could guess, but it was more fun finding out the truth from another source, "how would that go?" The news was getting old, Derek having folded the paper up. He realizes, one hand, which had been playing with his major sensitive spot, gooey fingers soiled his paper. If indeed fingers were wet, it had bled through his briefs. Doing a package check, the obvious had happened. Then, if the realization wasn't enough, the doorbell rings. He would have called on Richard or Noah to get it, but the 'youngsters' were entwined in their own discovery. Second ring has Derek saying, "geesh they're persistent!" If he ran upstairs to change...oh but then, the doorbell rings with a vengeance. More disturbed over who would be doing that on a Saturday morning, he doesn't give a hoot who saw what, racing off to the front door. Sometimes on heavy wooden doors such as this, whereas a peep hole wasn't drilled in the door, glass paneled windows were down each side of the door. Here, he condemned his father for poor security design, the glass smoky and not clear. Derek stopped to think, "hmm," he always wanted to be an exhibitionist. He only hopes it's worth his while, his hand on the doorknob. Procrastination drawers on another series of ringing, "okay, I'm on it!" So, Derek would take it back, realizing whereas no security measures were taken, a sturdy framework of iron bars had been installed. Through it he can make out the face, "Conor? What are you doing here?" He helped himself to the gated knob, entering. First thing on his mind wasn't the answer to Derek's question, but what he was happening upon, "really, Derek, I had no idea you were an exhibitionist?" "I'm not. Just not used to company at the break of dawn on a Saturday morning." Whipping out his phone, Conor says, "it's 8 o'clock." "Give or take an hour or two." Conor enters, but holds the door. "You can come in?" Lightheartedly Conor says, "I know. Waiting for my slave to bring the luggage." "Slave? Your luggage?" Laughing, Conor reveals, "Juan, the dishwasher at the restaurant. But oh, you haven't heard, a week after Bill takes over, he has a heart attack and keels over." "No," Derek is shocked, "I guess that means he's...?" "Quite." To break the icy waters of someone remotely close to him, Derek is surprised by Conor's slave, "oh my!" "About time you got here, Juan. What kept ya?" Conor says, allowing the door to close, Juan on the outside looking in. Walking right in, like he owned the place, Derek felt bad for the 'slave', opening the door. "Oh thanks," Juan says. He stood about 5'10, wide at the shoulders, narrow at the waist and all muscle everywhere else, so it looked, in between the luggage. "Can I take something?" "No. I've got it." "You sure do," it sounds like Derek complimenting handheld baggages on each side, a piece of luggage sitting on top of each, pack on Juan's back and a camera strapped to his chest. Inside the door, Derek says, "you can leave everything here. My two slaves in the kitchen can help you out later." Juan sets everything down, Derek helping him from the rear with the backpack. All the while Juan is saying, "the slave thing, it's a joke." "Same here." "Not to speak badly of the dead, but working for Bill it seemed like we were slaves." More complimentary of the living, more interested in Juan and his features, "well, without the baggage, I have to say, you definitely didn't need any help!" "If you want, later I can flex for you?" "Now, wouldn't that be a treat!" In the kitchen, it didn't take long for Richard and Noah to make friends. Noah had complimented Conor on his shirt and pants, that it would be a shame to get dirty, being their guest had offered to help with the cooking. Richard followed Noah's lead, getting another apron out of the closet. While Conor unbuttons his shirt, Richard and Noah observe. They are both mesmerized by the thick thatch on Conor's chest, a beautiful weave of ginger and blond! Down to almost his navel, Conor stops, looks up, "what?" "Nothing," Richard and Noah busy themselves with unnecessary tasks. Conor knew. Everywhere he went, the clubs, beach, hiking, his fuzzy chest could be the center of attraction. "Nice," Juan says, seeing over the counter, 3 waisted aprons, shirtless from there, up. Derek hadn't proclaimed his gayness, but with Juan's eyes bulging, he finds no problem, "mm-m, I'd love to have your master for the main course!" When Noah sees Derek, he says, "hey, guess what boss? Conor is a real chef!" Juan says, "oh, so you weren't kidding about them being your slaves?" Being modest, 'not', Conor says, "I have that effect on guys." The newly crowned chef went right away to his business, directing Richard and Noah to do this and that, leaving Juan without a chore. "My bad," Juan says. Being observant from the front door, he adds, "by the way, Derek, saw your crotch wet. If you want some help, I can help with the laundry?" Looking down over his hairy bellyhole, Derek says, "laundry?" Crotch-gazing, Derek lifts his head to catch Juan, stripping off his shirt and after, "okay if I get comfortable?" "By all means. Help yourself." A person's gotta be careful what they say. We all often perceive circumstances as something different. "Thanks." Derek didn't think he had to give permission, but was happy Juan felt indebted, "you're welcome!" They stood there for a few moments, watching Conor mentor Noah and Richard. Noah backing up, avoiding the splattering of grease Conor chucked on the griddle pan, the 2 cups of flour Richard was carrying to the bowl, winds up blanketing his chest and stomach! "Oops. Sorry," Noah offers up an apology. Conor, wearing one of those oversized kitchen mitts, offers, "here, let me brush you off, Richard." Noah wanted to too, but there was only one mitt. Without Richard giving the go ahead, Conor swipes the mitt across the teen's chest. Seeing Conor smile, Richard asks, "what?" "I don't know about you," Conor keeps the smile, "but under all this chest hair, I've got a pair of highly sensitive nips!" Richard gets the last laugh, when Noah sneaks up behind Conor, reaches in between pecs and arms and does a chest search through the ginger-blond undergrowth, searching for the bod parts in question. "Oh shit," Conor is surprised as hell, doing a quick turn around and grabbing up his own pecs! It makes Richard smile, not Noah's prank the issue, but Conor's apron bow sagging, showing his hairy ass crack. While Noah took Conor's wrath, Richard dares to stick a finger in the slot! When Conor reacts, jumping around full circle, Richard's finger loosens the apron string and the whole cloth falls to the floor. Richard cradles an elbow in his palm and like assaying the situation, "oh now, there's something to be proud about!" Taking Conor by the hips, Noah leans around the ginger man, "mm-m, forget the pancakes!" While Derek was entertained by the slapstick humor, Juan was enjoying another view, till he finally realized he was being a failure at grabbing Derek's attention. Until he looks outside, "hey, is that your pool?" he nudges Derek's elbow. "Um, give you a hint. It's my house and the pool is in 'my' backyard?" "Mind if I take a dip?" Who was to stop him, Juan's hands already pushing his red shorts down and as he walks, steps out of them. When he went to go out, he didn't realize there was a plate glass door, which has him running into it. He bounces off and falls with onto his bum! Going to his rescue, Derek shows concern, "are you okay, Juan?" Taking Derek's hand and being launched upward, "I am now." % % Copyright 2021 T. Chase McPhee Developing segments of`See The Good In All Things', may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.