Special thank you to Dee for terrific beta’ing and to DJ for requesting the piercing be told.
Kadyn sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed, bouncing slightly in anticipation of what was to come. It was Sunday afternoon and he’d been told to sit here until Logan came and got him. The older man was acting differently; somewhat more authoritatively, and Kadyn found himself turned on by this more dominant side of his Top. Logan had said today would be the day he fulfilled the promises.
While he waited, Kadyn mentally reviewed all that had taken place over the last couple of weeks.
It had been exactly two weeks and a day since Logan moved into the apartment with him over the candy store. Two weeks of adjusting and compromising as schedules were put in place to ensure they had quality time together.
Both men operated their own businesses. Both were inclined to work longer days than need be if their hours weren’t curtailed. Logan’s beauty parlour operated six days a week, usually nine to six with the exception of Thursday and Friday when it went full out from nine to nine. With it being summer, Kadyn’s shop was open seven days a week from ten in the morning until ten in the evening. Those hours would be cut back come winter. Meanwhile, Logan had been patiently putting up with his partner’s difficulty in adhering to the well thought out agendas they’d agreed to.
Kadyn made breakfast most mornings, while Logan would make supper. The noon meal more often than not was a lost cause with each of them fending for themselves. Sunday was the day they set aside as ‘their time’. This time together was something Logan had every intention of enforcing. He hoped to make each weekend as memorable as possible, starting last evening when Kadyn came upstairs to find a surprise in the making.
The young man threw himself back on the pillows and dreamily thought of the romantic dinner Logan had set up, complete with wine and candles. Music and dancing had followed, setting the mood for some exceptional sex. Both had fallen asleep in each other’s arms well-sated.
Kadyn bolted upright and anxiously resumed bobbing up and down on the bed as he listened to the footsteps quietly approaching. He smiled a little uncertainly when Logan stopped in the doorway and silently summoned him with his finger.
Taking Kadyn by the hand, Logan led him down the stairs to the back room of the shop and outside to walk across the narrow alley.
“Do you really think I’m dressed for this, Logan?” Kadyn provocatively inquired in an effort to cover his nervousness.
“Well since it’s over 30 degrees Celsius, I hardly think you’re going to suffer any side-effects from being out here in just your boxers,” Logan quipped in return, firmly towing his rather reluctant Brat up to the second floor of the beauty salon and into one of the rooms used for esthetics.
“What are you going to do, Logan?” Kadyn asked, looking around the place.
“As soon as you strip and lay down on the table, I’ll explain it as I go along, okay?”
“And you’re sure I’m gonna like this, right?” Kadyn hesitated.
“Just do as I’ve requested and trust me, babe. Now off with the boxers and lay down.”
The slightly stronger tenor of Logan’s voice dispelled any remaining delay tactics on Kadyn’s part and had him quickly undressing and climbing onto the massage table.
Kadyn watched Logan make his way to the cupboard and laid back, trying to relax. He heard the sound of running water followed by the opening and closing of a door, as well as a couple of drawers. His pupils dilated with a mixture of excitement and trepidation when Logan wheeled over a stainless steel unit and he spied a hot wax dispenser.
“Spread your legs wide, babe, because you are about to lose all that pubic hair. I’m going to cut it shorter and then remove as much of the rest as possible with hot wax. You’re going to love the feel of my beard on your bare skin. I know it will drive you crazy.” Logan held up the scissors and smiled down at the man stretched out before him in all his naked glory.
“You actually plan to put hot wax down there?” Kadyn’s tone indicated the serious reservations he had about that part of the plan. He closely watched the tight curls being clipped from between his legs.
“If you want me to stop, now is the time to say so. If not, then you have to believe I know what I’m doing.”
“No, I do wanna be bare down there,” Kadyn relented, but still with mixed feelings.
“I know I’d said I would shave you but this method will last longer. Of course, I will not be waxing the entire area as some are meant to be shaved only, not waxed. And then just like I promised, I’m going to pierce those beautiful nipples of yours.” Logan put down the scissors and began to slowly stir the wax.
“Bet that’s gonna hurt! Not putting on the wax, but the taking it off.” Kadyn tried to sit up while moving his hands in an attempt to protect his most vulnerable private parts.
“It will tingle for a second or two. You have to keep those hands down by your side because in order to do the job right, I need free access.”
Kadyn was once again having second thoughts. Although he wanted Logan to take charge, he found himself stubbornly refusing to follow instructions so the older man could continue his task.
Logan immediately reached out and gave his Brat’s hands a sharp slap. “I said hands by your side or they won’t be the only thing getting a slap.”
The message came over loud and clear, and Kadyn hastily placed his hands by his sides, his fingers curling around fistfuls of the sheet under him. “Oh man!” was all he could managed as warm liquid was smeared over the targeted area. On one hand he was relieved to have the decision making taken away from him, but on the other…..he took a deep breath and tried to let go.
“Very good; now try to relax. You’re going to enjoy the final result of all this.”
Before Logan selected a strip of cloth, he picked up his partner’s testicles and gently rolled them in his hand until he saw the sign of arousal he’d anticipated and heard the small gasps springing from Kadyn’s lips.
When he noticed the erection growing harder, he stopped the erotic manipulation. The last thing he wanted at this particular moment was for Kadyn to ejaculate prematurely.
He placed a wide strip of waxing cloth over the prepared area. “Okay, babe, on the count of three I’m going to pull it off. Count with me, please. One!’
“One!”
“Two!”
“Two!”
Kadyn echoed each count but before it got to three, Logan rapidly yanked the strip off.
“OW! Holy shit, that smarts! What the hell happened to three? You said you’d pull it off on three. You tricked me!”
Logan used his fingertips to apply pressure to the now hairless patch of skin. “I’m sorry, babe. I got a little ahead of myself. I know it’s a little uncomfortable, but it doesn’t last long.”
Kadyn sent him a glare of disbelief. He grimaced as a second strip of cloth was placed over another small area. Again he counted along with Logan and this time the cloth was yanked off on the count of three. Being prepared didn’t lessen the stinging affect.
“To hell with it! I’m not counting anymore. Just get it over with, Logan.”
“I know it throbs a bit,” Logan soothed after he’d pulled off the last strip and gently removed any residue wax. “But I’ve got the antidote for that.” With those words, he placed his bearded face on the now bare skin between Kadyn’s legs and began rubbing back and forth.
That sensation sent Kadyn over the edge. His deflated erection now put in another appearance and to his delight and pleasure, his Top took the engorged penis into his mouth and began to suck.
“Oh God, oh God….Logan, I’m going to…..”
What Kadyn had been about to say soon became evident when Logan’s mouth was filled with the salty taste of semen.
“Mmm, baby, you taste so good!” Logan swallowed and moved up Kadyn’s body to place a hard sensuous kiss on the pouting lips. He then moved down to Kadyn’s nipples and took turns sucking on each one until they became hard nibs. He paused and looked into his lover’s baby blue eyes and huskily stated, “Promise number two on the way.”
Logan continued the physical assault on his partner’s pliant body. His warm lips lightly grazed over tantalizing flesh as they moved downward over Kadyn’s neck, shoulders and chest. He knew exactly what he was doing as he paced out the long, slow build-up of sexual excitement needed prior to the actual act of piercing in order for endorphins to be released.
“Even though I intend to freeze your nipples, I first want to get you on an endorphin high.” Logan kept his voice low and erogenous as he explained what he was about to do. Whereas Kadyn had to really concentrate on ‘what’ was being said; it was the ‘how’ that proved to be a real turn-on.
“You know, babe, endorphins are wonderful little things. They race through your body and provide strength for the ‘fight or flight’ response. While it’s a good thing to have some fear and apprehension before getting pierced, once those little endorphins kick in they’ll greatly minimize the discomfort associated with the process.”
Throughout the procedure, Logan kept an eye on Kadyn’s body language to gauge the young man’s reactions. He was truly humbled by the amount of trust his young lover placed in him, even after duping him during the waxing. He found himself falling deeper and deeper in love with this very special man he’d been blessed with.
Logan marked and sterilized the right nipple before applying a healthy dab of a benzocaine topical ointment. After waiting for the cream to take effect, he tightly clamped the area. Next he used the entry and exit marks as guides and gradually pushed a thin sharp tube-needle through the nipple. Then a ring was drawn back through via the cannula and closed. Aside from a feeble whimper, Kadyn appeared to be handling it all very well so he quickly repeated the technique on the left nipple and stood back to admire his work. “Looks gorgeous, babe,” he murmured as he leaned in to plant a resounding kiss on his partner’s lips.
“I-I hardly felt a thing,” Kadyn lethargically mumbled, “except maybe a bit with the second one.” He had to lodge at least one complaint.
Logan chuckled and helped Kadyn stand up. He led him over to a full-length mirror and stood behind him. “Look at yourself, baby. Do you like what you see?”
Kadyn eyes sparkled as they slowly wandered up and down his naked torso. Aside from the two small nipple rings, only his gold collar adorned his body. He reached up to tentatively touch his nipples but his hands were abruptly pulled back down and held against his stomach by one of his Top’s much larger ones. The other hand landed a heavy swat on Kadyn’s bare backside, leaving both a physical and mental reminder.
“Do not touch your piercings unless you are cleaning them, Kadyn. Unwashed hands carry bacteria and your nipples are at a point where microorganisms can penetrate below your skin and cause an infection. During the healing phase which could take several weeks, your nipples need to be cleaned once daily; while showering is ideal. Together we will ensure that you thoroughly clean and rinse them, using a fragrance-free anti-bacterial soap and slowly rotating the rings as we go. You can pat the area dry when you leave the shower. Using an over the counter pain reliever will help deal with residual pain and swelling caused by the piercing.”
Logan stared at Kadyn’s reflection and looked him squarely in the eye to emphasize the importance of what he was about to add. “I am holding you accountable to handle your nipples only when absolutely necessary. If the piercings are touched too often, it will take longer to heal. You are to follow my instructions to the letter. Understand?”
Kadyn nodded back at Logan’s reflection. He gently fondled the smooth skin surrounding his genitals. “You were right. I do like being clean-shaven here. It’s undeniably more arousing,” he mused before turning in the older man’s arms. “When do I get to put in different jewellery?”
“You don’t! I’ll change the rings when everything is completely healed.” Logan lowered his forehead and placed it against Kadyn’s. “You’re going to love the sensations created once we’re able to play with these little beauties,” he sexily insinuated, smiling when his Brat’s eyes practically glaze over.
Kadyn grinned at the thought of his pierced nipples being sucked on by his lover. “Right now, I’d like to do something to show my appreciation, Logan.” With that, he dropped down to one knee, loosened the drawstring on his partner’s sweatpants and pulled them down far enough to release Logan’s swollen penis and genitals.
He gently kissed the hardening member before licking the sensitive underside, the nerve-filled head and finally the testicles. He gently gripped the shaft around the base; then sliding his lips over his teeth, he slid his hand up and down his lover’s erection in tandem with his mouth for several moments.
He glanced up at Logan when the older man let out a long, low moan and made eye contact. His expressive young face clearly showing just how much he enjoyed being down there and having this level of control over his Top. Kadyn delighted in his ability to cause his lover such ecstasy. He made appreciative noises to let Logan know how turned on he was himself by what he was doing to the older man.
Kadyn didn’t neglect the rest of Logan’s well-developed body. He stroked, tickled, squeezed and scratched taut thighs, butt, and stomach, as well as anywhere else he was able to reach. Relaxing his jaw and throat muscles, he focused on taking as much of the shaft as possible into his mouth and proceeded to give a perfectly stellar blow job to this man who had only recently become the center of his universe. When he felt Logan’s climax approaching, he increased both the speed and strength of his sucking motion. Within seconds, Logan was shooting down his throat.
Logan’s legs buckled at the force behind his orgasm and he put up his hands to brace himself against the wall. He was still panting heavily when Kadyn’s self-satisfied smile appeared in front of his face.
“Where the hell did you learn to do that so well?” he barely managed to gasp out.
“Oh, I got friends,” Kadyn joked, revelling in the sense of headiness he was experiencing at having almost brought this big man to his knees. He thoughtfully rearranged Logan’s clothing. “You need some help getting home, stud? Cause if you do, I’m at your service.”
“Fat chance! And don’t get cheeky,” Logan growled as the weakness he’d undergone faded. He laughed softly when Kadyn merrily ducked under his arm and skipped away to avoid the swat headed his way.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kadyn effortlessly adjusted to the changes on his body. While he hadn’t been thrilled with parts of the methods employed, he was ecstatic over the results. He relished the feel of having that certain part free of hair and the loving care Logan daily dispensed when caring for his healing nipples.
The two lovers were lying in each other’s arms enjoying their post-orgasmic bliss when the phone rang. Both men wondered who’d possibly be calling this early on a Saturday morning. Being closer, Kadyn answered.
“Lucky you; you’ve reached a live person at the Walsh/Hart residence.” There was a moment of silence. “Yes, he’s here. One moment, please.”
“Logan, it’s your sister and she sounds upset.”
As Logan took the phone he gave his partner a gentle kiss. “Brat!” he whispered, his hand covering the mouthpiece. “Hi, Eve; it’s nice to hear from you. What’s up?”
“Logan, you have to come home! Mom and dad were killed in an auto accident on their way back from a jazz concert shortly after midnight. The police just informed me a few minutes ago.”
Logan had never been close to his folks and the thought of attending a funeral, any funeral, held little appeal for him. “I don’t know, Sis; I mean they really didn’t care whether I ever visited them when they were alive. Don’t you think it will be kinda hypocritical if I come now?”
“I’m not asking for them, little brother. I’m asking for me. I need your support and help to settle the estate.” Still picking up on Logan’s hesitation, she pleadingly continued. ”Please, Logan. I can’t do it by myself.”
Knowing he owed his sister everything for having practically raised him, Logan put his feelings for his parents aside and agreed to meet her at the house later today. He reminded her it would take him several hours to get to the island and his hometown of Victoria.
He replaced the receiver and turning his attention to his partner, began to explain the call. “Kadyn, my parents were killed in a car crash and my sister needs me, so looks like I’ll be heading out as soon as possible.”
“I’m sorry it’s such sad news, Logan. Do you want me to come with you?” Kadyn offered, not sure he wanted to go but still putting his partner’s needs first.
“Thanks all the same, babe, but I think this is one trip I should make alone. I could really use your help here though. Would you please call Gloria, so she can open up the shop. Ask her to call my scheduled clients to either rebook their appointments for next Saturday, or let someone else take care of them. If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind going over to the shop every night before closing to pick up the receipts and put them in our safe. The staff just got paid so you need not be concerned about doing the payroll.”
“Don’t fret over Curl Up and Dye, Logan. Between Gloria and me, we’ll keep it running smoothly. You just concentrate on helping your sister, as well as taking care of yourself.” Kadyn threw back the blanket and got to his feet. “You go shower while I get breakfast ready.” He quickly pulled on a pair of sweats and waited for his instructions to be followed.
“Thanks, baby. I appreciate the support.” Logan crawled out of bed and collected clean underwear from his dresser drawer. “It’s funny; I should be upset or sad, but I’m not feeling any emotions at all.”
“Maybe it hasn’t hit you yet. Plus, it’s to be expected with you never having a close relationship with them.” Logan just shrugged as Kadyn left the room to accomplish his self-appointed task.
Twenty minutes later, Logan pushed himself back from the table. “I better get packed and hit the road.”
“Take the Subaru. It’s bigger and you’ll probably have stuff to bring back with you so the extra space will come in handy.”
“As clear as mud; leave the Beamer well enough alone.” Kadyn’s smirk did little to set his Top’s mind at ease, but did cause Logan to laugh as he ruffled his Brat’s hair.
“Go pack, Logan, while I make sandwiches for you to eat on the road.”
Kadyn’s shoulders slumped as the Subaru disappeared around the corner. As impractical as it would have been to do so, he wished he’d been able to accompany his partner on what could prove to be an unpleasant journey. And he worried about just how badly he’d miss Logan even though he’d be gone for only a few days.
Logan arrived at his parents’ home shortly after five in the evening. His sister met him at the door and immediately flew into his arms.
“Oh, little brother; it’s so good to see you again.”
“Same here, Sis.” Taking the scene before him, Logan let out a low whistle. “Good God! What a mess! They sure loved their stuff, didn’t they?”
“You could say that.” The siblings began walking through the house. The living room and den were cluttered with books, CD movies, old records, magazines and papers. The kitchen table was covered with dishes, glassware, cutlery and various food items. The rest of the rooms were in no better shape. The only one that seemed to have some sense of order was the music room.
“Did you make the funeral arrangements yet?” Logan asked as he picked up the acoustic guitar that lay in the corner. Memories of repeatedly asking his father to teach him how to play it came rushing back, leaving Logan with a feeling of deep regret of what could have been. Uninterested in spending any amount of time with his children, the older Walsh had put off his son with an off-handed ‘when you’re older’ comment. Ended up being a friend of Eve’s who finally taught Logan to play. He shook off the feeling of sadness to concentrate on what his sister had to say.
“They wanted to be cremated and their ashes scattered around that outdoor theater where they performed so often. The ceremony will take place Monday afternoon after a short period of accepting condolences from their friends, although I have no idea how many there will be. We have no other living relatives except some cousins and they send their sympathies. They regret not being able to come, so it’s you and me once again; just like always.”
“That sounds appropriate. What do you say to us going out to grab something to eat before starting to sort through this chaos?”
“Sounds like a plan. Let’s get out of here.”
During supper, between the salad and dessert, Eve brought up the subject of her brother’s private life. “So, Logan; about that young man who answered the phone. Is he your new partner?”
“He certainly is, and he’s a handful as well as a joy. After Simon I thought I’d never find anyone who could make my life complete. Kadyn not only does that, he’s also made me whole. Simon always said that while he loved me dearly, he knew he wasn’t the man I needed to spend the rest of my life with. He told me I needed someone to nurture and take care of. Although at the time I didn’t believe what he was telling me was the truth, the minute Kadyn came into my life I realized Simon knew exactly what he was talking about.”
“And, little brother, I bet he’s looking down on you with that smirk he used to get on his face and saying ‘I told you so’ in that self-assured way of his.”
“You’re probably right,” Logan concurred with a soft chuckle. “As a matter of fact, I think I heard him whisper those exact words in my ear the first time Kadyn and I were together.”
“I’m so happy and pleased for you, Logan. You deserve all the happiness in the world. When can I meet this boy-wonder?”
“What about Thanksgiving? Bring your husband and your two dogs up for the holiday weekend.”
“Sounds great; and now that we’ve caught up, I guess we better go tackle that mess.”
It took the siblings almost four days to get everything in place. The only break they took was to pick up the ashes from the funeral home and spread them over the ground of the amphitheatre as requested by their parents. A few minutes of reflection after their parent’s acquaintances had said their goodbyes, Logan and Eve returned to the house.
Aside from the duty performed at the park, most of Monday and all of Tuesday had been spent making numerous trips to the Salvation Army depot with all household items and clothing being donated to the thrift shop and any salvageable food to the food bank. The furniture was picked up by the auctioneers Logan had contacted. Eve decided to take home a set of drapes and a lace tablecloth that had belonged to her grandmother, some albums, and the old movies while the only thing that Logan wanted was the guitar. The real estate agent was called and the house put on the market. Eve suggested when it was sold they split the profits evenly, but Logan told her they would discuss it when the time came.
Even though he’d spoken to Kadyn every day since arriving in Victoria, by Wednesday morning Logan felt he’d been away from his business and his Brat long enough. So leaving the rest of the details in his sister’s capable hands, he started his journey back home.
He made a quick call to let Kadyn know he was on his way. He smiled and shook his head when hearing the newest message his Brat had put on their answering machine.
“Sorry, neither Logan nor Kadyn are here ‘cause we’re out living our lives. But leave your name and number at the beep and you just might be lucky enough to have one of us get back to you.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
For the first several hours after Logan’s departure, Kadyn felt at a lost. He seemed to function on auto-pilot; not fully concentrating on what he was doing. It was an unexpected visitor that finally pulled him out of his funk.
Kadyn glanced up at the tinkling of the small bell over the door and his mouth dropped opened at the sight of a man he had not seen in a very long time.
“Holy cow, Justin; what brings you to town? When you left you said you’d only return when hell freezes over. It doesn’t feel that cold, man.”
“My aunt passed away and my parents insisted I attend the funeral with the family. I really didn’t mind; the old gal was good to me when my folks shipped me up here to Jade Heights that summer five years ago.” Justin responded, swinging his leg over a stool and sitting down at the counter.
“I heard about Velma’s passing, Justin. I’m sorry for your loss. She was a nice lady. But looking back, ya hafta admit that summer was a blast.” Kadyn grinned at the man with whom he had his first affair, short-lived as it was. “We both learned a lot the month we were together.”
“Yeah, we were seventeen and horny as hell.” Justin’s laugher faded slightly. “I really missed you, Kadyn. Can’t count how many times I wished I’d dragged you away from here. Only you flat out refused to come with me.” Justin never did understand why anyone would choose to live in what he considered a backward community when city life had so much more to offer.
“Like I told you at the time, Justin, this is my home; everyone I love is here. I just didn’t want to leave, and I still don’t.”
“Gotcha!” Justin acquiesced on a bit of a sad note. “So, have you found a significant other?”
“Yeah,” Kadyn nodded enthusiastically. “Logan and I met four months ago. We’ve been living together for over three weeks now.”
Justin leaned in closer to his friend when he spied something he thought was out of place. He gave a low whistle. “You’re wearing a collar, man!” he stated as if Kadyn was unaware of the fact.
“I know; I was there when it was put on. I feel it all the time and see it in the mirror every day.”
“Never would have thought of you getting into….you know?”
“I’m not into BDSM, if that’s what you think. This is a constant reminder that I belong to someone and he belongs to me.”
“Whatever floats your boat, my friend,” Justin muttered with a shake of his head.
Kadyn just chuckled. “What about you?”
“Still enjoying the single life and loving every minute of it.” Justin had no intentions of letting on just how lonely he was. “I guess being in a relationship is good, even if you’re still stuck in this one horse town and tied to this boring family business.” He took a better look around and graciously acknowledged, “Although I see you’ve made a number of changes.”
“It’s all mine now. Mom and Dad retired a while back. Logan moved here from Victoria and now owns Mom’s old hair salon.”
“So now you’re both trapped in this retrograde locale, going nowhere. I bet you still don’t even have a car, Kadyn.” Justin hoped tormenting his friend would help him move past his own internal demons of jealousy.
Justin’s disparaging comments got Kadyn’s back up and he instantly decided to illustrate just how off the mark his old friend was. “Tell you what, Justin, you come back here at closing time and I’ll show you something that will have your eyes popping.”
It was ten-fifteen when Kadyn threw open the garage doors and turned on the lights. He stood back and gloated. “Now what do you have to say, big shot city guy?”
Justin’s mouth dropped as he slowly walked around the spectacular sports car. “Whoa, this is a real beauty. I’d never have thought of you owning one of these. An old beater truck maybe, but certainly not a classic like this. You’ve blown my mind and I’m impressed, Kadyn, I really am. Can we go for a spin?”
Kadyn knew he should say no, but felt he couldn’t back down now. Beside, Justin had provided all the transportation that summer they spent together and this gave Kadyn the opportunity to return the favour. “Okay, sure. Why not?”
Half an hour later Kadyn wanted to kick himself for not thinking things through. He and Justin were stalled at the side of the road on the outskirts of town and it was far too late to call a local service station for assistance.
‘I am so dead,’ he thought as he stared down at the sports car as if it had done this deliberately and scowled. Turning to his companion, he reluctantly admitted, “It’s my partner’s. I wasn’t supposed to take it out cause it’s been acting up lately. Logan’s been meaning to take it into the dealership and have it checked out when he has the time.”
“Shit! Why didn’t you just say so, Kadyn? What do we do now?”
“We’ve no choice but to walk home. I’ll call for a tow first thing Monday morning. We’ll just push it further off the road and hide it behind those bushes. It should be okay here until then.” After locking all the doors and concealing the car, they began their trek.
Justin started snickering. First rather softly, but then as they walked along his laughter got louder. “God, Kadyn, I’d have thought you would have outgrown getting into dilemmas like this.”
“Ya think, huh? I sometimes get the feeling that’s never going to happen. Guess I just like to live on the wild side,” Kadyn joked. Any reservations he had about disobeying his Top dwindled as the two of them strolled along reminiscing about that long ago sultry summer they’d both loved and lost.
Over the next few days, Kadyn and Justin spent every available moment together. Captivated by the new artwork all over town, Justin wanted to know everything about them.
“The artist is my best friend,” Kadyn explained. “He moved here about three years ago and got one job after another painting various businesses. He makes a very good living at it too. Do you still paint, Justin?”
“Yeah, but I sure don’t get paid for it. Graffiti isn’t exactly in demand anywhere that I know of. Too bad to, ‘cause I’ve gotten real good at it.”
“I’d really like to see some of your work.”
Justin grinned mischievously. “If you can find me a wall to decorate, I’ll buy some spray paint.”
“Great! I’m free in the morning.”
“You realize this is something I usually do in the dead of night. But in this hick town the timing probably won’t matter.”
“Well tomorrow will probably be the last day we can hang out because Logan might be home by evening. We can meet up in the alley behind the old Zeller’s store. The building is so dilapidated; applying a multitude of colours can only improve it.” Kadyn’s eyes sparkled as they finalized their plans.
Justin’s display was coming along beautifully. Kadyn was absolutely enthralled by his friend’s talent. Their all-embracing preoccupation in the developing work of art, enabled the Chief of Police in responding to an anonymous call, to arrive on the scene unnoticed.
“What going on here?” Chandi demanded. He had to bite his cheek to prevent himself from laughing at the expression of shock on the young men’s faces. “You do realize that defacing property is illegal, right?”
Kadyn found his tongue first. “It’s not defacing, Chief. Look at it. It’s a tremendous improvement.”
Chandi frowned. “I don’t need any smart remarks from you, Kadyn. I’m taking your friend down to the station.” The Police Chief was far from pleased to see a crowd gathering.
“Come on, man. Give him a break. Justin is visiting from out of town and was doing this cause I asked him to.” Kadyn looked beseechingly at the officer.
Chandi took Justin by the arm, led him over to the cruiser and put him in the back seat. He shut the door as he continued warning Kadyn about arguing with him. “Keep it up, Kadyn, and your companion here will not be the only one with a charge of public mischief hanging over his head.”
Kadyn glanced through the window at Justin and shrugged his shoulders before walking away. When Chandi turned to disperse the onlookers, Kadyn slyly made his way around the far side of the police car and opened the back door on the driver’s side and encouraged his friend to make a break for it.
“Come on, Justin. Run!” Kadyn headed down the alley with Justin fast on his heels. Laughter from the group of bystanders followed them.
Chandi’s eyes narrowed at the audacity of Jade Heights’ infamous rapscallion. The Chief had only intended to intimidate the young artist in hopes of him not repeating the stunt. Personally he thought the painting did wonders for the derelict structure. Besides, he’d received word yesterday that the building was being torn down. The demolition crew would be arriving first of the week. But he still had to discourage such activities. And now he had to report a certain young man’s insolent behaviour to someone he hoped had greater influence over him.
Kadyn and Justin were winded by the time they got to Justin’s aunt’s house. They dropped down in the shade of a large tree in the back yard and worked on catching their breath.
“Looks like I’m leaving you with a hell of a mess, Kadyn. Sorry about that.”
“Story of my life, Justin. It will blow over; it always does.” Kadyn sounded more confident that he felt. Somehow he managed to push any misgivings aside for the time being.
“Hope my parents don’t hear about it. We’re heading out in a couple of hours and I sure as hell don’t feel like listening to them throughout the entire drive home. If I was still in my teens, my old man would whale the tar outta me, but now they’d just spend the next few days bitching at me.”
Kadyn’s only response to his friend’s comments was a shudder. He knew he could never survive a drawn out period of recriminations. He thought of how his own parents would have reacted to their son getting in trouble once again. His father would have merely shaken his head and muttered, “What are we going to do with you, Kadyn?” His mother would have simply looked a little disappointed, but a short time later would have baked cookies for him to show he’d been forgiven. He could only imagine what Logan’s take would be on it all. And it certainly wasn't something he was going to discuss with his friend regardless of how close they had once been.
Pushing himself to his feet, Kadyn offered a helping hand to his friend and pulled him up too. “I’m due at the store soon, so I guess this will be the last time we seen each other.” Both knew the chance of their paths crossing again was slim at best, but most likely non-existent.
“It’s been great seeing you again, Kadyn. This is the second time I’ve been in Jade Heights, and the second time you’ve saved me from going nuts and dying of shear boredom. I owe you big time, my friend.”
“Hey, it’s been a blast, Justin. An interesting few days that were never meant to last. Actually I think if we spent much more time together, whatever we had in the past would lose its’ magic.”
“You could have something there. The fantasy of what might have been is best left as part of our youth.”
“We can always promise to stay in touch but that didn’t pan out last time so why bother. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for in life, Justin.”
“Thanks. Wishing you a good one too, my friend.”
A goodbye hug was shared and then the two young men went their separate ways.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was mid-afternoon when Kadyn turned the supervising of the store over to his ever-capable assistant, Emily, and ran upstairs to the apartment. He’d listened to Logan’s message and knew the man should be arriving within the hour. Slipping the prepared tenderloin into the hot oven, he turned the heat on under the potatoes and veggies. He threw together a quick salad and shoved it into the fridge before setting the table.
With nothing else to do but wait, Kadyn began pacing anxiously. He was deeply regretting his actions of earlier in the day. His treatment of Chandi had been appalling. No one deserved to be treated like that, especially someone as upstanding as the town’s Chief of Police.
The Chief was a good man and had always been more than fair, if not downright lenient to the citizens he served and cared for. The town was darn lucky to have him. Kadyn and his friends had often discussed the possible reasons behind the Police Chief consistently demonstrating a rather bewildering empathy to the Brats in town. It had crossed their minds that Chandi might be a Top, but then they couldn’t picture the man’s partner, Eric, being a Brat and it never seriously occurred to them that Chandi could be a fellow Brat. So at that point they would drop the topic and move onto another.
Kadyn’s sense of remorse was starting to overwhelm him. He’d seen Chandi go into Logan’s beauty salon and suspected the Chief was planning to report his misdeed to his partner. He had expected Chandi to pay him a visit next to royally chew him out. It wasn’t as if he didn’t deserve it, and it only confused him and made him feel guiltier when Chandi never showed up at the candy store.
Then there was the matter of his having disobeyed Logan by taking the BMW out for a spin. At least it was back in the garage where it had been towed three days ago. More than anything, he wanted to just own up to all he’d done and leave it up to his Top to help him make amends.
Hearing the slamming of a car door, shortly followed by the sounds of the outside stairs being taken two at a time, Kadyn smiled a little uncertainly at his partner’s imminent arrival. He took a deep breath, put on a false face of cheerfulness, opened the back door and threw himself into Logan’s arms.
As Logan parked the SUV, his heart began to pound in his chest and his spirits soared at the thought of being with his Brat once again. It had been a long and emotionally draining week. Dealing with the death of his parents and the feelings of what may have been coming back to haunt him once more. His thoughts returned to the joyful reunion about to take place. Six months ago, he’d never have fathomed how it would come to pass that he would miss another individual so badly it almost made him ache.
“God, I love this young man,” he softly whispered to himself as he took the stairs two at a time. He was about to shout ‘Hey, Kadyn, I’m home,’ when he felt two strong, loving arms wrapped around his neck.
“By that reaction,” he stated, “it seems you missed me as much as I missed you.” Kadyn’s reply to that statement was a strong, passionate kiss. One Logan returned just as eagerly.
“You must be hungry, Logan,” Kadyn declared several moments later after disengaging himself from his partner’s arms. “I got dinner ready. You just sit and I’ll get it on the table.”
“I’m so hungry, I can eat a moose. I hardly took time to eat breakfast. I just grabbed one of Eve’s hot muffins on the way out. I was so anxious to get back here; I passed every diner and donut shop along the route. Let’s eat and we can fill each other in on our week.”
Kadyn puttered around serving out the meal while he struggled to keep hidden any agitation he was experiencing. He was determined to make the first little while of Logan’s homecoming as serene and amiable as possible before unloading his trouble on the older man’s shoulders.
“So,” Kadyn began as soon as he sat down and picked up his fork. “How was the trip? Is everything taken care of? Was it a large funeral? Did you bring anything back with you?”
“The drive down was okay, with nothing major happening along the way. I really enjoyed how the Outback handled itself. It sure is different than driving the smaller car.” After taking the time to chew and swallow a mouth full of food, he continued. “This is delicious, baby. Thank you for putting in so much effort to make my homecoming special. I must say, I’m glad the funeral and house clean-up is behind me. Surprisingly, there was a larger turnout to the wake than either Eve or I expected. We didn’t realize our parents had so many friends. The spreading of the ashes at the outdoor amphitheatre got a little emotional, but it was the closure both my sister and I needed. The Salvation Army were the grateful recipients of the majority of the household contents. The only thing I kept was the acoustic guitar. A good friend of Eve’s taught me to play because my dad didn’t or wouldn’t take the time to teach me.”
Kadyn noticed the sadness in Logan’s eyes and made a joke along the line of now having to listen to him playing the thing, in an effort to bring him out of his mood. It wasn’t an easy task for the young man since he was not in the best of moods himself. He hoped talking about some of his activities during their time apart would help.
“I took care of everything you asked me to. All your business receipts are in the safe. Things seemed to go fairly smoothly under Gloria’s watchful eye. Nothing much new with the ice cream parlour; my staff is working out really well, even the students I hired just for the summer. I might keep a couple of them on to work part-time during the winter. Oh, and I took real good care of my piercings, just the way you taught me to.” Kadyn strived to keep his side of the conversation light-hearted, if somewhat uninformative. Usually a good eater, it was his growing lack of interest in the meal and his continual toying with the bit of food still on his place that set Logan’s ‘Top’ radar humming.
“That’s great! I’ll be checking them out before we go to bed,” Logan responded to the last comment first. “I want to thank you for stepping up when I was away, but I also expect you to be honest with me. Did something happen at the shop that you’re afraid to tell me?”
“No, everything was fine at your shop; both shops in fact.” Kadyn looked up in surprise at the question, then quickly dropped his gaze in the face of the older man’s serious expression.
Not quite satisfied with the response, Logan continued to probe. “Well something must have happened, because although you’re trying to be upbeat and entertaining, I have a distinct feeling you’re hiding pertinent information. Playing with your food and avoiding eye contact are sure signs to me that something occurred when I was away, so …..” Logan put down his fork and sat back in his chair, “we’re going to sit here until you start explaining what happened to get you so uptight.”
Kadyn’s deep sigh was heard across the table as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “The morning you left for Victoria, an old friend who I haven’t seen in years dropped in.” He hadn’t wanted to burden his partner with problems so soon after Logan’s return. He’d really been hoping they spend a pleasant evening together just reconnecting. But once he started his tale of woe, albeit somewhat tentatively, he couldn’t stop. He ended up blurting out everything to do with taking the car and the run-in with Chandi. Logan had patiently heard him out and hadn’t interrupted him to ask questions even though he must have had plenty.
Logan had almost broken into a cold sweat at the thought of his car being left at the side of the road overnight, but calmed when reminding himself his beloved Beamer was safely parked in the garage behind the shop.
“What say we deal with your treatment of our Police Chief first? Bright and early tomorrow morning you will be going to the station and tendering your apology. You’re correct in saying no one deserves to be disrespected in such a manner. You will also be spending a good portion of your free time writing lines over the next day or two.”
Kadyn’s face contorted at the mention of lines, but he nodded his agreement concerning the apology. He only had one reservation. “I-I really don’t want to go alone.”
“Would you like me to accompany you?”
“Yes, but you’ll be too busy at the salon after being away from it so long,” Kadyn replied a little despondently.
Logan reached over and took a Kadyn’s hand in his. “Nothing is more important than you, Kadyn. Loving you, caring for you, helping you are my number one priorities. As much as humanly possible, I will always put your needs first. Got it?”
Kadyn nodded and smiled as his eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Although he had known of his importance in other peoples’ lives, he couldn’t remember anyone ever saying something like that to him before.
“Now, my boy, we’ll deal with the second infraction.” Logan straightened up and his voice took on a sterner undertone. “We now find ourselves at the point in our relationship that is going to set a standard for future disobedience. Did I or didn’t I strongly let you know using the car was off limits? I understand why you were tempted to take it as I’ve been there before myself. But you knew I forbade you to use it and instead of telling your friend you couldn’t, you went ahead and went against my orders. Now we both know what the consequences are for disobeying a direct order, don’t we?”
Kadyn nervously bit his lip with the realization of what was to happen. They’d only been living together for a month and he’d already pushed well beyond the boundaries they’d jointly agreed upon. “Yes, I know,” he sadly mumbled, hanging his head as he felt the heat of shame rising in his face.
Pulling the chair away from the table, Logan took a deep breath and ordered Kadyn to come with him into the living room. Sitting down on the sofa, he calmly instructed the younger man to drop his pants and boxers.
He was obeyed after a moment of hesitation. Taking hold of Kadyn’s wrist, he helped him settle face down over his thighs and took a deep breath to calm his nerves and his trembling hand. He knew he couldn’t let Kadyn know how apprehensive he was in handing out the first discipline in their relationship. He knew it had to be done and he knew he wanted to do it. He was just a little concerned on how hard he should administer the spanking and how long the punishment should continue. His fears were brushed aside as his hand made contact with bare skin for the first time. It was as if instinct took over. Simon had tried to tell him this was his destiny; to not only be a nurturing Top, but a strong and confident one.
His strong hand slapped down on one cheek, then the other until they were both glowing with a red hue. He could feel the tension slipping away from his Brat as the sounds of pleas and yelps turned into sobs that echoed throughout the room. His instincts also kicked in to help him realize Kadyn had enough. He softened the last blows before stopping altogether. He began to gently rub over the reddened skin to let his partner know it was over and all was forgiven. He picked Kadyn up off his lap and pulled him to a sitting position. Holding him securely in his arms, he rocked back and forth, all the while rubbing his back and murmuring soothing words of comfort until Kadyn’s shaking and sobbing subsided.
“That really hurt a lot, Logan,” Kadyn complained, rubbing his wet cheeks against the front of Logan’s shirt. Wrapping his arms around the older man’s neck, he burrowed into well-muscled, comfy shoulder.
“Hmm, I imagine it did,” Logan commiserated. “Dare we assume it will help you think things through and make better decisions in the future?”
“I hope so.” Kadyn snickered when deciding of the possibilities of that happening. “But I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”
“Brat!” Logan all but groaned and rolled his eyes.
Lifting his head and grinning hopefully at his chastiser and comforter, Kadyn asked, “Have you forgiven me enough for us to bake cookies now?”
Logan briefly wondered if it was even possible for anyone to look into those beautiful blue eyes, still shining with tears, and refuse a request. “Of course, babe; the slate is wiped clean. We can clear the table at the same time. I’m also going to take this opportunity to learn more about Justin; how you came to meet and what kind of relationship you had.”
“Fine by me, I got no secrets.” Getting to his feet, Kadyn hissed as he pulled his boxers up over his sore backside. “Guess I’ll just keep my jeans off for the time being,” he announced, kicking them across the floor and heading for the kitchen to preheat the oven.
Logan followed and started putting away the leftovers to the sound of baking equipment and ingredients for chocolate chips cookies being pulled from cupboards. He chuckled inwardly when Kadyn began what would prove to be a recitation of his friendship with Justin.
“Justin’s from Calgary. He arrived in Jade Heights for a month five years ago. He was getting into trouble back home, hanging out with the wrong crowd according to his parents. They sent him here to stay with his mother’s aunt, Velma Costain. She’s the lady who passed away last week. The Howells came for the funeral.” Kadyn curled his lip as he cracked two eggs into a large bowl. “Gosh, that makes two such sombre occasions at one time; your parents and Justin’s great aunt.”
“I don’t understand why his parents would send him to a spinster with no children of her own. Didn’t they realize the burden they might have been placing on her?”
“She was a retired high-school teacher at the time, Logan. And man, was she ever cool! It was already a known fact about town that I was gay, but Justin was just barely coming to grips with his sexual orientation and having a hard time accepting it. Velma really helped him with facing it and coming out to his folks.” Kadyn informed his partner while vigorously stirring the last of the flour into his batter.
“How did she know he was gay?”
“Guess she somehow suspected it. Catching us kissing might have been a big give-away.” This comment resulted in both men laughing. “Now stop interrupting so I can finish my story.” He began dropping cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
“Who gives the orders around here, young man?” Logan demanded, winking to show he was teasing.
“Right now? Me!” Kadyn baited in return with an impish giggle. “As it was, we had the best summer ever. Velma gave Justin the use of her car because he had done so well in Driver’s Ed. She even paid for the extra insurance for him to drive. She was such a really terrific lady. Helped us get out of a few jams too.”
Kadyn went on to tell Logan about many of the predicaments they’d managed to get themselves into.
“But like they say, all good things must come to an end sometime. Summer vacation was over and school getting ready to start again. Justin had to go back to Calgary. He wanted me to go with him, but that was never going to happen.”
“Were you in love with each other?” Logan wasn’t at all jealous and didn’t feel the least bit threatened. Having never experienced a young love with someone of his own gender made him extremely curious to learn about Kadyn’s.
“We sure thought so at the time,” Kadyn reflectively confessed. “Sexually, it was the first time for both of us. A lot of experimenting went on that summer, let me tell you.” His face softened and his eyes grew misty as he went back in time for a few seconds. Snapping himself away of his daydreams, he shrugged and stated, “Guess we were just meant for someone else, huh?”
“Sure looks that way,” Logan agreed, pulling Kadyn towards him for a quick kiss.
“It never would have worked for Justin and I in the long haul. I know now what I didn’t know then; we’re both Brats.”
“You just may have something there,” Logan concurred with a soft chuckle. “How long do those have to be in there?” he inquired as he watched his partner shove two large pans containing four dozen cookies into the oven.
“Only ten to twelve minutes; then it’s a treat of warm cookies and milk for both of us. Now seeing as you stood around while I did all the mixing and stuff, you can wash the dishes. Only fair, right?”
“I guess I can live with that. However, I seem to recall having fetched the bag of flour for you.”
“Only because you’d put it on the top shelf in the pantry and I couldn’t reach it,” Kadyn countered. He stood with his hands on his hips and indicated the pile of dirty dishes next to the sink.
Logan smiled, squirted a few drops of soap in one of the basins, turned on the water, and grabbed up a dishcloth. He contentedly breathed a sigh of relief at them having successfully endured their first bout of physical discipline. He acknowledged how much it had actually strengthened the bond between them, had certainly brought them closer together. But he still hadn’t figured out where the cookies played into all of it. Maybe someday he would. In the meantime, he’d just go with the flow and bask in the happiness he felt.
The End
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