Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2018 04:46:59 +0000
From: Willow Lemon <willowlemon@outlook.com>
Subject: THE PAGE AND THE CANVAS, CH 21

If you would like to receive updates about new chapters of this book, or
news of my other publications, email me at: willowlemon@outlook.com

I encourage you to please donate to this wonderful site.
http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html


      CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

      I got the job in the graphic novel department after two more
interviews. And the school also approved of it as an accredited internship,
so I was on the fast track to graduating early. I was seriously nervous my
first day officially working there, wondering how different it was going to
be, so I was a little surprised that my first assignment was, "I need you
to bring Mr. June this bag of treats and these documents." Kim handed me a
bag of goodies and a big padded folder.
      "Okay." I took them, thinking how lucky I was to see Mr. June right
off the bat.
      "The thing is, he's in a teeny bit of a slump right now. He's
apparently struggling with his layout, so he's pulling his hermit act. And
with his type, an editor can make things worse by interrupting at times
like these."
      Beginning to wonder if I was being sent into the lion's den, I
questioned, "Doesn't that mean I'd cause trouble if I visited him now?"
      "It'll be fine."
      The chief editor, whom I'd met at my last interview, came up and
handed Kim a bundle of papers. He must've heard what we were talking about
because he noted, "You managed to coax him out of a panic before, Donnan
tells me."
      "Oh, I don't know. I just happened to be there..."
      "It'll be fine," he reassured me, making me more nervous than
ever. "If he won't answer his intercom, just leave these things in his
mailbox. You can do this." The chief gave me a hearty pat on the arm.
      I pressed the call button outside of his building. Nothing. Just in
case I got the wrong number, I decided to try it one more time before
leaving his stuff in his mailbox like I was told to. "Knock it off!" he
screamed through the intercom.
      Holy crap! My knees were quaking when I told him, "Um, s-sorry. I
came from Penguin.  Um, it's me...Kip." I don't know why he'd need to know
that, but I said it anyway.
      The outer door slid open.
      Going to his door, I rang the bell before noticing that it was open a
crack. "Hello? It's Kip." I heard a loud crash. Still getting no answer, I
decided to go inside. Going down a short hallway, it turned into the living
room and it was like I'd walked into Ali's study. Everywhere open books,
papers, binders, boxes, bags, pens, and notebooks. My first thought, I'd
seen worse.
      "Kip?" Mr. June came in, and I had to say that he did not look like a
hermit. I'd seen that before, but today he was cool, good-looking Mr. June.
      Wait. Did I just describe him as good-looking?
      "I'm sorry, but your door was open, so I kind of let myself in."
      "What brings you here? The manuscript isn't done yet." He didn't
sound annoyed, just inquisitive. Was this really the man that just screamed
at me through the intercom?
        "I brought you documents and some snacks from the editorial
department."
      "Oh, right." He set a hand on his smooth chin. "I remember getting a
text about that.  Sorry about earlier. I've shown you my pathetic side
again, eh?"
      "No, not at all. I live with a writer, so I get it."
      He took the bag and folder from me. "Would you like to eat this with
me? You came all this way." I wasn't sure what to say because I wanted to,
but I should probably get back to the office. "I'd like a change of pace,
myself."
      Maybe if I was working it's be okay. "Would you like some help
cleaning up? I'm used to that, too."
      He accepted, and with both of us working together we had it looking
better pretty quickly. "Sorry I've scattered things everywhere."
      "It's totally fine. Like I said, I'm used to it." The cleaner it got,
the more I noticed how nice his apartment was. And sorting through his
books and checking out his art was like getting to know him better. I
picked up an open binder, and when I saw what it was open to, I couldn't
hold in my exclamation. "Wow!"
      "What is it?"
      "It's a fan letter I wrote you way back when!" The binder had fan
letters in plastic sleeves.
      "Yes, I file all the letters from my readers."
      "This is from when I was in high school."
      "Letters don't get less precious, no matter how many years pass. They
always encourage me so much. I shouldn't throw around something so
important, should I?"
      I didn't think having it laid open on top of a stack of books was
throwing it around.  The fact that he kept his fan letters, that he had
mine right here in his home, was amazing! I was oddly moved by it. It made
me an even bigger fan.
      "The truth is, this happens a few times a year. It's nothing bad
enough to call a slump, but... I've been writing for years, so I can crank
out something on experience alone, but I can't shake the feeling that I
shouldn't just 'phone it in.'"
      "But couldn't you talk to your editor at times like that?"
      "Yeah. When I do, that gets me by, but when I start worrying, 'Can't
I do more, shouldn't this be better,' I just go into a tailspin. I kind of
feel like I'm all alone on Earth." He put a book in the
bookcase. "Sorry. These are really uncool things to say aren't they?"
      "No! Really, it's okay. I've been reading your novels since middle
school and I've learned a lot. You're not alone at all. No matter what
happens, I'll always read your work." I could not stop myself from
fawning. "I will always love you! Y-your work, I mean."
      He let out a small laugh. "Your confessions are always so
straightforward. Thank you." And then he smiled that perfect, handsome
smile. Damn, Mr. June is seriously good- looking.
      Oh shit.
      "How about we stop cleaning and break out the snacks?" We made tea
and put the cream tarts on plates. We sat on the couch, and he sat close
enough that our arms were brushing. He sat his plate down. "Do you have a
girlfriend, Kip?" He put his arm on the back of the couch. "I bet you're
very popular.
      "Me? Oh no, I'm hopeless." My heart was racing. He was sitting so
close. And also, I didn't want to lie.
      "So, you're single? Some girls have no taste."
      I laughed nervously. If I didn't say anything, it wasn't a lie,
right? I didn't have a girlfriend, but I did have Ali... We weren't really
out, so I didn't know what to do. Some people did know about us, but only
close people who wouldn't say. And I wasn't necessarily ready for everyone
to know. And Ali had never said anything, but Donnan had said that one time
that it would hurt Ali's career. So... I just kept staring ahead.
      Picking his name out of the air around me, he asked, "What's your
relationship with Mr. Smoak?"
      I was starting to sweat. "H-he's an old friend of my brother. That's
why he's renting me a room." Still not lying.
      "I see. Mr. Smoak cares about you a lot, doesn't he?"
      "Y-you think so?" Still not lying.
      "That's what it looks like."
      My face was hot. "I think it might be partly because my brother is
his best friend."  Okay, that was a little white lie. But it seemed like
he's insinuating something about us, and I could feel myself start to
panic. "B-but he's always saying mean things, you know. Calling me 'short'
and 'bratty' and 'unintelligent'." Lie! Lie! Huge lie!
      "Well, that's not nice at all," he was sympathetic.
      "Right? Be sure to scold him next time you see him." Holy shit, this
train was really going off the rails.
      Grabbing a lock of my hair, he rolled it between his fingers. "He
shouldn't insult someone so sweet and cute. You know, I like boys like
you." Fuck me, I think I just crapped my pants.
      I jumped out of my seat. "Oh wow, look at the time!"
      "You should stay and eat more," he encouraged.
      "N-no thank you. It was delicious, though. I better get back to the
office." I had to make myself not run to the door. "Good luck with your
work! I look forward to it! Goodbye!"
      "See you," he called to my back.
      * * *
      "I'm home."
      I had been sitting there forever waiting for him to get home, my mood
getting blacker and blacker. I didn't even have to say anything, Kip could
see it on my face. He set his grocery sack down in the kitchen. "Wh-what?"
      "Were you at Penguin?" I wanted to see how much he would tell me on
his own.
      "Yeah. How is your work?" Trying to avert attention off himself, huh?
I swear he started to sweat.
      "Finished."
      He took a pot out of the cabinet. "What, then? Did something happen?"
He faced away from me. Hiding?
      I couldn't hold it in any longer, my jealousy boiled over. "Kip, what
happened between you and that graphic novel author?"
      The pan he was holding dropped to a clatter on the floor. "What?
Nothing at all." He was lying, I could tell.
      "So, there was something."
      Something must have jostled the grocery bag because it chose that
moment to send potatoes rolling out onto the floor. Kneeling on the floor
where I could no longer see him, he uttered a weak, "No, nothing, really."
      "I just got a call from Donnan. He said that Mr. June wants to have
dinner with me."  My blood was running cold the more he continued to hedge.
      "Wh-why?" He stood facing me. His expression held deep worry.
      "That's what I want to know." Why was he making me drag this out of
him?! "Donnan said, 'This should be interesting, so I'm coming too,' which
is ridiculous. So, I opened my mouth to turn him down flat, and the bastard
hung up on me."
      "But you have work, so you shouldn't push yourself too hard to
socialize." He sounded panicked. Going over, he retrieved his apron off a
hook on the wall.
      I was behind him tying his apron so fast it startled him. "So. What
happened?"
      He took a step away. "I-I was just working! I brought some papers and
snacks to him at home."
      Rolling up his sleeves, he still wouldn't look at me. "What happened
when you got there?" I crossed my arms.
      Walking past me, he told me, "Well, he was kind of in a rough mood,
so I encouraged him a little."
      "Encouraged him how?"
      "I'm telling you, just the usual! 'I love you, so work hard,' that
stuff."
      Jesus, this again? "I love you?"
      "As in I love his novels! Lay off!" Going to the sink, he started
washing potatoes.  "When we were talking, he said he liked me too, and I
was sorta taken aback, but then I thought about it, and I was the weird one
for being surprised, right? Just because a guy says that to another guy
doesn't mean it's like that. I think you always thinking everyone is after
me is starting to get to me."
      My blood was no longer cold, it was boiling. Grabbing him by the
front of his shirt, I whipped him around causing the pot to clatter to the
floor again as I brutally kissed him. I easily had him on the floor,
trapping him beneath me. I bit his neck and quizzed, "What else did he do
to you? He better not have touched you!"
      Kip looked stunned. He grabbed the back of my waistcoat like he was
pulling me off him, but not really. "He just played with my hair a
little..."
      Inside me, something clawed, ripping me to shreds, and I was seeing
red and green and everything in between. I yanked the apron he had just put
on over his head forcefully. "Ali, I'm telling you, he's seriously not like
that!" I cackled. How naive he was!
      Grabbing the buttoned collar of his henley shirt in both hands, I
ripped it completely in half. "I have my doubts," I somehow stated
calmly. His eyes went wide and he was stunned still. I pulled urgently on
the fasten to his corduroy's until they were somehow opened.  Tugging on
them, his body thrashing against the floor from the force of it, until they
were down just enough to expose him, I flipped him over putting him on his
knees.
      Not wasting any time, I didn't even unbuckle and unbutton, I simply
unzipped, pulling out my cock and rammed it into him. He cried
out. Pummeling into him with as much strength as I could muster, I told
him, "You! Are! Mine!" I pounded my exclamations. "No one is to ever touch
you but me!" I thundered into him faster. "Do you understand me? Tell me
you understand!"
      "Yes! Oh, god yes!"
      Taking a handful of his teal hair, I pulled his head back
brusquely. "Tell me again."
      "You, only you Ali!"  Nothing had ever turned me on more and I came
suddenly and hard. Fuck, the things that Kip could do to me.
      I wasn't done with him. Spinning him back over, laying between his
legs, I consumed his dick, taking it all the way in until my lips were
nestled in his soft hair. Keeping it there, I flicked my tongue against it
again and again, causing his hips to buck off the floor. Coming back up,
resting my lips on the very tip I waited a mere moment before going after
his dick almost violently. I used my teeth, sucked as hard as I could, beat
it with my hand, showing it no mercy.  He was whimpering noisily, his feet
flailing. His hands would alternate between reaching out above him, to
running them through his own hair. When I tugged on his balls, he gave a
little mule kick with his left leg and with much sibilance hissed out a
breath. And when I plunged a finger inside of him, he gushed in my mouth
with an enormous cry that could have been pleasure or pain.
      * * *
      Lying in bed, both of us naked and wrapped around each other until it
seemed as though every part of us was touching, Kip told me, "You have to
trust me, Ali. I would never, ever do anything to worry you."
      "I just don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. I love
you too much." He burrowed his face into my chest. "I can't tell you not to
see him again, because it's your job.  But don't let your guard down too
much around him. Please." I kissed the top of his head, and he responded by
kissing my chest.
      "I promise, Ali. And I love you, too."
      * * *
      Laying on top of Kip, rousing him awake with kisses, the most
terrible thing happened.
      "Good morning! I took the trouble to bring you some good news in
person!" Donnan came strolling into the bedroom. I didn't think I could
loathe a person more in that moment.
      He sat down on the edge of the bed. "I apologize, Donnan, but would
you get out?  You're in the way."
      "I got reservations at a three-star restaurant for your dinner with
Mr. June! It's the Saison. I've always wanted to go there." I felt Kip
subtly pushing on me to get off him as Donnan stood; I didn't move. "Two
such handsome and famous authors don't get together every day, so let's do
an interview at the same time! If we make it a nice glossy article, a super
long two-part interview that we can open issues of Vanity Fair and Vogue
with, female readers will snap it right up! Okay, I'll text you the date
and time later. Bye!" He left, shutting the door behind him.
      "What did he just say?" I hoped I was having a nightmare.
      "Why couldn't he have told you this over the phone? Was it really
necessary to walk into our bedroom this early in the morning?"
      "He probably wanted to brag about finally getting his lover Asher to
move in with him, but he won't talk about that when you're around. He's
always coming around when you're out to cry about his relationship woes."
      "Asher? His assistant? Is his boyfriend? Donnan's gay?"
      Kip's phone started ringing. The caller id said it was
Mr. June. Grabbing it before him, I answered it, pushing Kip down into the
mattress. "Yes?"
      "This is Kiefer June."
      "Hey! Good morning!" I could be fake with the best of them, a trait
my father had taught me well.
      "Is this Mr. Smoak? I was calling Kip."
      "Ah, yes, this is Alistor. It's been too long. I'm sorry, Kip can't
come to the phone right now."
      "Oh, alright. Would you mind telling him I called. It's work stuff."
      "No, that's fine. I'll be sure to tell him." Kip was doing his best
to wrestle out of my grip, grumbling into the pillow, but I had no problem
continuing to hold him captive.
      "I'm looking forward to our dinner. Donnan says it's all arranged."
      "I'm looking forward to it as well."
      "Well, I guess I'll let you get back to your morning. Have Kip give
me a shout. Bye, then."
      "Yes, yes. I'll talk to you later. Goodbye." Setting his phone down,
I released Kip. "I realized something. If I'm going to trust you, I have to
work at my habit of going too far. But I think no matter how hard I try to
cope, I'll probably always be jealous of people who get close to you. So,
if I crush them before they come close, I can avoid getting jealous."
      "What kind of fucked up logic is that?" He sounded exasperated.
      "Though, it's too late, I shall start with Mr. June. Now, bring me
all of his books you own to me."
      "Wh-why?"
      "To defeat your enemy, you must first know them."