As I remembered, Pete and Jason had moved into the big room up stairs. Charley led me into what had been the master bedroom when Dave and Bill had lived here. I looked at the king-size bed and then at him. He looked back at me and then at the bed. "Let's settle you in first." He opened the closet. "We moved all your clothes over here. That dresser contains all your folding clothes."

I moved over to him. "You're not scared of me are you, Charley?"

He looked startled. "No, of course not."

"We've been here five minutes and I still have my clothes on."

"But... but we have to settle you in first. I...we have a surprise for you." His impatient eagerness was childlike. He was grinning like a Cheshire cat. That's another thing I love about him. He loves giving surprises.

"I want another kiss first. And a full body hug." I insisted.

The tender look he gave me melted me. A couple of minutes later, out of breath, I pulled back and said in an innocent voice as I rubbed my hardness against his, "I thought you had something to show me." Looking down at the bulge in his Levi's as I rubbed my hand over it, I asked, "Shall I unwrap it?"

"There's nothing surprising about that. Anytime I get near you it's that way. Come," he said, taking my hand and leading me out of the bedroom. He yelled for Jason and Pete. And then led me into one of the small bedrooms down the hall.

It was like I had stepped into the office in my apartment, it was set up in that little bedroom just like it had been the last time I had been in it. I walked over to the desk. The text I'd been working with was opened to the page I'd left it on, with my metal ruler laying across the open pages the same way I always left it.

The bookshelves were as they had been last time I saw them. I checked the order of the books, Yes, the top shelf was all my reference books, the huge Webster's dictionary, the Thesaurus, The Family Word Finder. The first books on the second shelf were my favorite gay novels, The Charioteer by Mary Renault and Maurice by E.M. Forrester, and The Front Runner and its two sequels by Patricia Neal. My pictures, one a blowup of my parents' farm house and barn, were on the walls. I turned and looked at Charley. "How.....why?" Charley just stood there grinning.

"Because we love you and want you to feel at home while you stay with us." Jason piped, peeking around Charley's bulk.

"It's just like the whole place was transported."

"It was Pete's idea. He photographed everything and we put it in here just as it was in your apartment," he said, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"So we expect that next novel to be written right here," Pete said, as he came into the room and gave me a hug. He then apologized for not coming to visit me in the hospital.

"You guys don't even say 'hi'?" I asked.

They had their arms around each other's waist as they grinned at me and said in unison, "Hi, Jake."

"You're a couple of smart-assed shit heads." I grinned at them.

"Yeah, but you love us," Pete said.

"And we love you, Jake," Jason chimed in.

"Yes, we do," Charley said as they all three moved in to give me a group hug.

'Damn,' I thought, 'this kind of thing really makes life good.' "I love you guys, too. Thanks, this is so thoughtful," I replied, enjoying the closeness of my lover and friends. "But I still don't get why you did this."

"I don't think it would have been a good idea for you to go back to that apartment. You don't need to relive that night," Charley explained. "So we moved all of your furniture into storage, threw the mattress in the dumpster and moved your office and personal belongings here. You and I will find a place of our own and start fresh, on a new mattress." He grinned at me. It amazed me that he loved me so much. I was only marginally aware that Jason and Pete were in the room.

"Lunch is almost ready. If you want to freshen up you've got about twenty minutes," Pete said, breaking my trance as he wrapped an arm around Jason and started to guide him from the room.

"God, I'd love a shower. Bed baths just don't quite do it," I told them.

"I think I'd better go help him. He's really not strong enough yet to shower by himself," Charley said, grinning at Jason.

With a sassy smirk, Jason agreed with a vigorous nod.

I just smirked back. "Yeah, I need for Charley to gimme lots of attention."

The shower took a lot longer than twenty minutes. The two boys pounded on our bedroom door and yelled things at us that had Charley turning red clear down to his toes even though we were alone in the bathroom.

We rushed to dry off and get out to the kitchen table, if for no other reason than to shut those two kids up. They were having a ball ragging on us. Thank God they had classes to get to that afternoon.

After lunch they departed for their classes and left us all the privacy we could want for the next three hours. Once alone, we stood looking at each other, suddenly shy.

"You want to lie down awhile?" Charley asked.

I grinned at him feeling mischievous. It just felt so good to be back with him again. "I'll go to bed, if you go with me. But--- you have to be naked."

He blushed, looking and acting like a little boy. "I'll get naked if you will."

"Damn, Charley, if I had the strength right now I'd pick you up and carry you into the bedroom."

I didn't know that he could move so fast, the next thing I knew, he'd scooped me up in his arms and I was hanging onto his neck, hoping he wouldn't drop me.

"Relax, Jake," he murmured in my ear.

I guess this was supposed to be romantic, but I felt damned silly being carried. I expected to be dumped onto the middle of the bed, but Charley knelt and gently laid me down. That was romantic and loving. I sought his lips as he hovered over me. He responded with passion as his fingers sought the buttons on my shirt.

"You're going to get fucked, Jake. But this fuck is going to be filled with so much love that you'll never want it any other way. I'm going to fill you with all my love, Jake."

"Do it, Charley, fill me with your love."

By now he had our clothes off. He spread his big hot body over mine, touching, feeling, kissing.

"You're mine, Jake. And I am yours. Yours alone."

He smothered my face with kisses. When he got to my mouth, his tongue sought mine. I concentrated on the kiss unaware that he had grasped my cock and positioned it at his rear entrance. He sat up and stared at me intently. "This is all for you, Jake. Relax and let me try to do it right," he said, as he positioned my cockhead at his hole.

"God, Charley, you can't do it wrong, unless you hurt yourself going too fast." I groaned, trying not to push up against him. He grunted as he impaled himself on my shaft. I couldn't believe it. The devious man had obviously lubed himself well after our shower. "Oh man, that feels so fantastic."

"I've been stretching it for the last two months," he gasped, settling on my pelvis. "I bought a dildo the size of your cock, I've been practicing." He smiled. "Have no doubts, Jake. You are the only one forever."

He slowly rode up and down my cock like he'd been doing it forever. I lay on my back thrusting up to meet his every downward plunge. I could feel my cockhead rub over his prostate. His head was thrown back. His eyes were squinched closed. He was totally into doing this.

Suddenly his eyes popped open and he stared intently at me. "Oh, God, this is too much. I'm coming, Jake, I'm coming."

That did it. Between his words and his sphincter gripping my cock so hard, I couldn't hold back any longer. "I'm with you, Babe. Oh damn, take my load Charley."

He covered my face, chest and belly with his creamy sperm and I filled his hot insides. Charley collapsed on me; his cum sealing us together. When he had recouped, he raised his head and grinned at me. "Damn, Jake you're a mess," he said as he started licking his cum from my face.

"I thought you were going to fuck me, Charley." I whined.

"Didn't you like that?" he asked between lapping my nose and eyes.

"Oh man, I really liked that, but I need you inside me."

"Patience, Jake," he said, lapping the last gob off my forehead. He then kissed me, depositing it in my mouth. He sat back and grinned.

"I love the taste of you, Charley."

He leaned down and kissed me again. Then, he slid down my body, crouched between my legs and lifted them onto his shoulders. Using his cum scraped off my chest as lube, he massaged and played with my ass using his fingers to penetrate me. When he found my nut he rubbed it until I begged him to fuck me. He grinned at me and kissed me on the nose. "I thought you were going to be satisfied with just my fingers," he said.

"You're a funny man, Charley," I grunted, "but I need to feel your big cock. Fuck me, Charley. Please, fuck me," I begged.

Later, I was to wonder why we couldn't have been this open with each other in the beginning. I guess little hang ups do just that --- hang us up.

Charley sat back and grinned like a kid with a new toy. He rubbed the head of his cock over my hole, teasing me. "Come on, Charley, give it to me. Claim me and make me totally yours." Those words did it. He lost his grin and with an intense, serious expression, he began a maddeningly slow penetration.

I wanted to scream for him to ram it into me. But I looked into his eyes and saw the love and tenderness and knew that he wanted to do this right; to cause me no pain. And then the upward curve of his cock, which I'd not really paid attention to before, rubbed over my nut. The intense pleasure I craved, filled my being. I groaned and Charley froze. "Are you okay, Jake? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Charley. It just feels so good. Don't stop," I whimpered.

The head of his cock brushed over my prostate again and again. I closed my eyes and tried concentrating on not coming. The feeling was so intense. Never had I been slowly fucked like this before and I was loving it. Then I made the mistake of opening my eyes and gazing into Charley's love filled eyes. I lost all control. I shot, hitting myself in the face. Charley grinned and leaned down to lick it off as I filled the space between our bellies with the rest of my orgasm. I knew at that moment, there would never be anyone for me but Charley. And that he was so very capable of filling my need.

He continued to rub over my prostate, building to his own orgasm. I was in hyper-drive when he came, and I came for the second time with him in me. I couldn't believe that he'd made me come three times in less than an hour.

He collapsed onto my chest and wrapped his arms around me. "Why haven't we done this before?" He mumbled the question into my neck.

"We were both scared, I guess." I sighed with contentment.

"Well, guess what."

"Hmm?"

"I'm not scared anymore."

Dave Gates, at Gio's request, stopped by Pete and Jason's, later the same afternoon that Charley had taken Jake out of the hospital, to see how they felt about taking Gio's new chef in as a boarder. Jason had asked Ted, the new chef, to join them in the kitchen and on an impulse, knocked on Jake and Charley's bedroom door and informed them that Dave was there. Ted had visited with Dave and the two fellows for a few minutes before Jake padded barefooted into the kitchen. He wore Levi's and a loose white cotton shirt.

Dave stood up and hugged him. "How're you feeling, big guy?" Dave asked.

Jake smiled. "Like I'm the happiest man in the world. Especially with this man at my side." He reached back and pulled Charley up to his side and kept his arm around his shoulder.

Charley offered his hand to Dave as he said, "Good afternoon, Dave."

Dave grimaced at the offered hand and held out his arms to Charley. "You're part of our family, first and foremost, Charley. You can be formal in front of strangers."

Charley grinned and stepped into the hug. He'd learned that he liked Dave's hugs

They all sat down and visited. Dave eventually asked Jake when his next book was due.

"They've made me a big offer if I can get it out in eight months."

"And can you?"

"If Charley can learn to keep his hands off of me while I'm writing." He grinned at his lover. Charley grinned back and brought Jake's hand up and kissed the palm. Jake visibly shivered. Dave shook his head. Jason piped, "New love, ain't it grand?" and grinned at Pete. Dave glanced at Teddy, who was looking on, filled with envy. "You'll find your man, Ted. Just be patient."

A few days later Dave received a call from the Hospital Administrator. He was on a first name basis with the man having donated a large amount of money to the hospital.

"Dave, this is Donald Ingrams. It is my understanding that you employ Jim Provost as a nurse."

"Yes, Donald, but actually he's working for the Paolinis. He takes care of Joe's grandfather who is getting up there in age."

"I dislike having to inform you, Dave, that his license to practice nursing has been revoked."

Dave was quiet for a moment as he digested the information. "This has something to do with Jake Shipman having been in the hospital, doesn't it?"

"Yes, Dave it does."

"May I know what he did?"

"Since you're his employer and are a friend of Mr. Shipman's, I believe you need to know." He paused, Dave heard him take a deep breath and let it out. "He used a date rape drug on Mr. Shipman."

"Oh my God. That's hard to believe."

"It's true. After we interviewed Mr. Shipman, and then Mr. Hill to whom Provost had confessed the entire thing, he admitted that he had done it. Even though he was very contrite and Shipman has forgiven him and is not pressing charges, there is no way the man can be allowed to continue to practice nursing."

"I see."

"I'm sorry, Dave."

"Well, thank you for telling me, Don."

Dave called Joe and told him of his conversation with Ingrams. Joe immediately left the job site and went to his parent's home to tell them. His dad went back to the little cottage where Papa lived and asked him and Jim to please come to the main house.

They were in the middle of a game of chess and the old man complained about the interruption. Joe Sr. didn't reply. He turned on heel and went back to the house leaving Jim to walk with the family patriarch.

"I guess we have no choice. He is no longer a registered nurse," Angie said.

"I hate to have to do it. He's the first companion that dad has ever gotten along with. Hell, he treats him like he's his son," Joe Sr. replied. "Dad's going to be upset, that's a certainty."

When Jim entered the Paolini's living room with Papa, he helped him sit and made sure he was comfortable. They both knew that the time had come, and had come much sooner than either of them had expected. Jim was sorry it had. He loved the old man like the father he'd never had. And now because of his stupidity he was losing him, too.

"Stop fussing," the old man grumbled. Jim straightened up and stood beside him. He looked expectantly at the others.

"Jim, why haven't you informed us that you have lost your nurse's license?" Joe Sr. asked.

"As far as I know, Sir, it's not official yet. I was planning on telling you as soon as I got word that it is."

"Well, we have just gotten word that it is official." Joe said.

"I see." Jim's head was bowed in shame. They had told the family before they told him. They hadn't even given him the chance to tell them himself. Now he was being terminated without ever having had the chance to quit.

"Would one of you mind telling me what this is all about?" the old man demanded, looking up at Jim. No one but Jim saw him wink. Jim wondered why. Papa knew this moment would be coming, why was he acting like he didn't?

"Dad, Jim has lost his license to be a nurse. We're going to have to let him go," Joe Sr. said.

"Poppycock."

Jim looked at the old man. He couldn't help but see the fondness for him in his eyes.

Joe Sr. looked at his wife and his son and then back at his father. "Do you know why he lost his license?"

The old man nodded. "Yes, Jim told me that he used a date rape drug on his ex boyfriend. He is ashamed of having done it. He is remorseful."

"So what choice do we have, Dad?"

"You have the choice of not firing him," Papa barked.

"Is that what you want, Dad?" Joe Sr. asked.

"That's what I want. If you fire him, I'll just have to hire him on my own."

"Dad, we would never think of going against your wishes. If you want to keep Jim as your companion we will not object." Joe Sr. looked at Jim. "It looks like you stay."

"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate that. I love your father as if he were my own dad."

"I know you do. It's very clear in how you two interact."

Old Joe pushed himself up out of the chair and grabbed Jim's arm. "Come on, Jim, we have a game of chess to finish."

The old man was chuckling to himself as they left the big house. "You thought I was going to let them fire you, eh? No, my boy, I like having you around." He glanced at Jim. "And don't you dare start kowtowing to me, you hear?"

Jim grinned at him, put his hands together in supplication and half-bowed several times as he said, "Ah so, Master Joe. Anything you say, Master Joe. Me no kowtow to you."

Old Joe raised his cane and smacked him across his rump. "Don't get smart with me, you young whipper-snapper."

Jim laughed. "I haven't heard that name since my granddad called me that when I was six."

Joe watched out the kitchen window as his granddad and Jim wended their way back to the little cottage at the back of the yard. The camaraderie between the two was endearing.

"They are obviously good friends," he said, turning to find his parents watching over his shoulder.

"Well, even though he's not a registered nurse now, he's definitely a good companion for Dad," Joe Sr. said.

"He's never had to act as a nurse yet with Dad. When the time comes we'll just have to hire a nurse, too," Angie stated.

Jake woke from another dream where he was falling into a black pit. He wondered if he'd yelled, but Charley was quietly snoring next to him. Jake laid a hand on his chest for reassurance. Charley's breathing changed as he rolled toward Jake and pulled him close. That unconscious move filled Jake with happiness. He lay in Charley's comforting embrace and fell back asleep.

Charley sat in front of Paul Hanson's desk, being exasperated and depressed. Paul was trying his best to look sympathetic, but was having a difficult time hiding his smile. He'd just told Charley that he couldn't start to work yet; Dave simply wouldn't allow it.

"Damn it, Paul. There's no reason that I can see to prevent me from it."

"Well, let's examine the situation. One, Jake is still visiting Dr. Chestnut. Two, you still haven't found your own place to live."

"Jake seems to really enjoy living where we are. The guys are a big boon to him. Besides what does any of that have to do with me going to work?"

"I have my orders, Charley. And they say not to bring you in until you and Jake are settled. So how do you like living there with three other guys?"

"It's alright. I really like Pete and Jason. They're cool kids."

"But....?"

Charley grimaced. "Yeah, yeah, I miss my privacy."

"Have you discussed this with Jake?"

"No, he seems happy there, so I haven't rocked the boat."

"Hmm. Talk to him. Tell him how you feel."

"Is that and order?"

"Do I need to make it one?" Paul sounded just slightly exasperated.

Charley hung his head, and shook it. "No, I'll talk to him."

"He may be putting on a face because he sees you being happy there."

Charley looked up. "I never thought of that."

Paul grinned. "There's also a third reason you can't go to work yet."

Charley raised his eyebrows in inquiry.

"You still haven't moved over here. You're still living out of your suit case."

Charley nodded, but didn't say anything. He was reluctant to ask Jake to confront his mother and brothers again. Actually, he was reluctant to confront them, too. He'd heard his mother's words, had felt the sincerity in her voice, but was still hesitant to trust her face to face with Jake. But if the situation was to be stabilized, they were going to have to do it eventually.

"Okay, Paul. It's just that I feel so guilty receiving a full salary and not doing a damned thing to earn it."

"You're earning it. Just not in any conventional way."

Charley snorted and stood up. "Yeah, right."

Paul stood and stepped around the desk. He laid a friendly arm around Charley's shoulder. "Just do what you have to do."

"I'll go talk to Jake, now." Charley turned to leave.

Paul patted him on the back as they moved toward the door. "You may be surprised by what you find out."

Jake heard Charley's Harley pull into the driveway. He lifted a slat in the window blind of his office that Pete, Jason and Charley had set up for him and peeked out. 'Oh my,' he thought, 'that is one fine, handsome man.' He dropped the slat, reordered his thoughts and continued typing.

The house seemed to be empty when Charley entered the front door. As he headed down the hall toward their bedroom he could hear the faint clatter of the keys on Jake's keyboard. He stopped in the opened doorway and watched his lover at work. 'Damn, he is such a beautiful man. I'm so lucky he's mine,' he thought to himself.

Jake, feeling Charley's presence, looked up and grinned. "Hey, Babe," he said.

"Hey, yourself. How's the writing going?"

"You showed up just in time. I just ran out of gas." Jake pushed back from his keyboard and stretched. Charley's breath caught as Jake's tee shirt rose, exposing his hard flat stomach. He swallowed hard as he took in the magnificence of Jake's body. Clothed he was breathtaking, naked he was stunning. They had started working out together at Jake's old gym. Although Jake was still a little gaunt, he was toned up again. Charley loved watching him move. He was so fluid and panther-like. Charley grinned lasciviously, as he watched Jake rise out of his chair and move toward him. Jake knew without asking why he was grinning. Charley had told him often enough.

Their arms encircled each other. Their lips met in greeting, while they enjoyed just holding each other. "Let's get a drink and sit down and talk," Charley said.

Jake looked concerned. "Something's wrong?" he asked.

"No, nothing is wrong. We just need to talk." Charley took his hand and started down the hall.

"Wait, let me save my work." Jake rushed back to the PC, hit the save button, and then followed his lover. Charley was already in the living room headed for the kitchen. Jake fell in behind him, and stopped to watch Charley bend over to reach to the back of the bottom shelf of the fridge for a couple of cold brews. "The only thing that looks hotter than those Levi's stretched over your butt is thin air," Jake said.

Charley straightened up, closed the fridge door and grinned at Jake. He set the bottles down and enfolded him in his arms. "I know one thing hotter, Babe." He burrowed his face in the side of Jake's neck and drew in a deep breath through his nose. The scent of his man excited him. "God, you smell good," he murmured and let go of him.

"Don't change the subject," Jake said, as he pushed Charley back against the counter. He stepped up against him, took his head between his hands and pulled him to his lips. Charley melted into the kiss. A couple of minutes passed before Jake let go of him. Charley stared at Jake with a quizzical expression.

Jake returned the look. "What?" he asked.

"I just get great pleasure in looking at you."

Jake kissed him on the nose. "The pleasure is mutual, you know. Okay, tell me. Something's on your mind."

Charley wrapped his arms around Jake's torso and pulled him back tight against himself. "Are you happy here?" he asked.

Jake arched back to where he could look into Charley's eyes. "Sure, I love Jason and Pete. I even like Teddy, but I think we need to move. I think it's time we seriously look for our own place."

"Why haven't you said something?" Charley asked.

"Same reason you haven't, probably." He admitted and grinned sheepishly.

"So what is hotter?" Charley asked getting back to the prior subject. Jake picked up a long-necked bottle and twisted off the cap. He handed the beer to Charley, let him take a swig and then took it back. He took a long swallow wiped his mouth and grinned again. "You," he said, giving him a little kiss. He motioned for Charley to follow and headed out of the kitchen. Jake glanced back at him. "You with me stretched out on top of you."

Charley picked up the other bottle and his leather jacket where it had fallen to the floor, and followed him into the bedroom. "How would you know what I look like with you stretched out over my cute little butt?" Charley asked, following along behind him, resisting the temptation to cup Jake's cheeks.

Jake didn't answer until he was in the bedroom. He turned to Charley. "Lie down diagonally across the bed with your head turned to the left." Charley complied as Jake walked over to the bathroom door and opened it all the way.

Charley saw his own reflection in the mirror on the back of the door. "Why didn't you say something? I'd love to watch you stretched out on top of me." Charley rolled off the bed and let Jake watch him strip. Jake lay back on the bed. He was rock hard. 'There is definitely something about a white dress shirt unbuttoned over a sculpted hairy chest. I can't believe he is mine. He's so beautiful. Just look at that chest. I love the way his nipples harden when they feel the cool air.' He noticed a little smile on Charley's face. Their eyes connected. 'He knows I get excited looking at him. Oh damn, he's doing a strip tease taking off his pants.'

Charley could see the lust in Jake's face. He turned his back to him and slowly lowered his jeans. He looked over his shoulder at him and winked.

Jake grinned. "Those Jockeys may be hotter than your Levi's. But they don't leave as much to the imagination," he noted.

Charley hooked his thumbs in the back of his shorts and pushed the elastic band down under his butt cheeks. He didn't hear Jake move. Suddenly hot hands cupped his butt and he felt light kisses fluttering over them. He reached back and ran his fingers through Jake's hair. "You wanna watch me stretch over your hot little butt right now, Babe?" Jake murmured.

Charley didn't answer, but felt Jake's hands moving higher and higher up his back as his kisses fluttered up his spine to his neck. Jake's arms snaked around his torso. Charley felt his answer pressing against his butt. He pushed back against it and rubbed. Then he twisted in Jake's arms and started unbuttoning his shirt. Jake let go of him and unbuttoned his own jeans and wiggled them down his legs.

Charley pulled Jake's shirt off, and tossed it on the chair. He grabbed Jake's thighs just below his buttocks, lifted and walked him to the edge of the bed. Letting him go, Jake collapsed backward and Charley grabbed his jeans and pulled them off. He pushed his own Jockeys down and stepped out of them as he stared at his hot lover lying there staring back at him.

"Assume the position, Grunt."

"Aye aye, Sir."

Charley laughed. "You don't say that to a Marine."

Jake smirked, as he rolled over and spread his legs. "Why not? Aren't the Marines part of the Navy?"

"You know better than that. You're really going to get it now." Charley growled and crawled onto the bed between Jake's spread feet.

"Oh, good. I didn't know if that would work or not." Jake did his damnedest to look wide-eyed and innocent.

"It worked." Charley growled. "It really worked. I'm going to show you how well it worked." He moved up between Jake's muscular hairy legs. He couldn't resist running his hands over them as he moved into position.

Jake twisted around and looked up and smiled at him. "Anytime you want it to work just call me Grunt."

Charley slapped him on the butt, just hard enough to get his full attention. "It's time to stop being a smart ass and let me show you how much I love, Jake."

Jake grinned. "Sir, Yes, Sir." His eyes went to the reflection in the mirror. 'Actually, his butt looks hotter when he's draped over mine.'

In the afterglow, as they came back to earth, Jake lay on his back with Charley snuggled against his side, his head on Jake's shoulder and his leg laying over Jake's genitals. Jake muttered. "I was supposed to be the one draped over your hot butt. What happened?"

"You opened your smart-ass mouth."

"Oh, yeah, I said Aye, aye, Sir."

Charley covered Jake's mouth with his own to shut him up.

In the predawn's dim light Jason lay on his side watching Pete sleep. He'd had a difficult time getting to sleep with all the thoughts tumbling through his head. He'd awakened with the first light, but he'd rested well. Last night he'd gotten a call from the woman that was living with his father. The old man was in the hospital.

"Delirium Tremens," she'd said.

"Cirrhosis," she'd said.

"He's dying," she'd said.

Thinking back to the last time he'd seen his father he recalled the last words they'd had. His father, sitting at the kitchen table in his grungy undershirt, nursing a cup of coffee while Jason fixed him some breakfast, had told him again, for the millionth time, that it was a damned shame that he hadn't been born a girl.

Jason rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He had often wondered why his father had married a petite woman if he had wanted a son large of stature like himself. Jason had obviously inherited his mom's genes, for he was small like her. After he was born there could be no second try for a big athletic son to please his father, his mom was just too small to risk her health with another pregnancy. Her health had never been good after his birth. His father blamed him for it. The man had never been physically abusive to Jason, but the verbal abuse had been more than enough to damage his self image.

Jason had just graduated from high school with honors and two and a half months later, he'd turned eighteen. He'd won many a tournament in gymnastics in his four years of high school. Although he still worked out on the parallels, he didn't compete. His mother had insisted that he learn to defend himself. By the time he was a sophomore, he'd earned a brown belt in Martial Arts. One of the first things he'd done after moving was join a dojo near the university.

He had learned to defend himself, but he knew it would take something really dire to ever make him use what he'd learned against another human being. He'd hurt another kid in practice once and had almost quit. If possible, he'd always run before he hurt someone again. Jason knew that he could have really hurt the bum that had caught him the night he'd run from Pete after the infamous kiss. So, he'd intentionally just knocked the air out of the man and kicked him in the nuts in order to give himself a chance to run.

Jason had stood at the stove and imagined using his knowledge and martial arts abilities to wipe up the kitchen with his father, make him pay for all the verbal abuse he'd had to endure since his mother's death. Instead he'd lashed back at him verbally.

"No matter how hard I've tried, I've never been able to please you." Jason had said taking a plate from the cupboard.

"You'd have to be a man to begin with," his father had snarled.

Jason slid the fried eggs on to the plate along with sausage patties and buttered toast. The words as often as he'd heard them still hurt. Fortunately until his mother's death he'd always had someone to counter his father's putdowns. He turned and placed the plate in front of the man. "It is not my fault that I got my mother's genes instead of yours. You couldn't even give me enough of your genes to make me straight." Jason had never said anything about his sexuality to him before.

The man set the cup down with enough force to slosh coffee half way across the table. "Get out. I'm sick of having to look at such a worthless little piece of shit. I'll not have a faggot living under my roof."

"I'll be gone by the time you get home from work. It will be nice not to have to see your despicable face again." Jason had retorted as he left the man to his breakfast. He hoped it would give him indigestion.

Jason had packed his few belongings into the old Toyota pickup that his mother had helped him buy and without another word to his father, he'd driven across town to the University and moved into the dorm that he'd already signed up for.

He'd met Pete, his new roommate, a week after he'd moved into the dorm. He and Pete had been a couple for nearly two years now. In all of the time that he'd known Pete, Pete had always given him all of his attention. Jason loved it, needed it. His mom, who'd died his junior year in high school, had always praised him. It had been only his father that had always put him down. No one else had ever really demeaned him. Oh sure, he got teased by his peers for being so small, but they all respected him for his spunk and intelligence. Now without his father's put-downs his self image was good.

The house, Jason's father had kicked him out of, had been inherited by his mother from her father. She'd told Jason that one day it would be his. It had legally been his since he'd turned eighteen. He'd forgotten that, until his father had tried to sell the house. He thought about the letter he'd received from a lawyer's office. It had been sent to him in care of the University. His father had known no more than that about his whereabouts.

Frederic J. Lambert, Jason's mother's lawyer, grinned when Jason had insisted that Pete be allowed into the office with him. Mr. Lambert had explained what each paper was that required his signature and had then sat back and studied Jason for a moment while he was signing them. "These papers, Jason, should have all been taken care of when you turned eighteen."

Pete had done a double take when he first saw the lawyer. He was seeing an older version of Jason, black hair, diminutive in size, the same piercing blue eyes. He wondered then if there was some connection between them. He noted how Mr. Lambert kept calling Jason "Son" instead of by his name. Maybe he was imagining it, but it seemed to Pete that the man put extra warmth into the word every time he used it.

Mr. Lambert felt Pete's eyes on him and met Pete's intense stare with a smile and a wink. Pete's look softened as he realized that the man knew what he was thinking.

Jason signed the last page and pushed the papers across the desk. Mr. Lambert double checked that all the right places had Jason's signature, closed the document and sat back in his chair.

"Your mother was a wonderful person, Son. We grew up together. I could never understand what she saw in her husband."

"The bastard." Jason muttered under his breath.

Mr. Lambert grinned. "You want to evict him? I'll be happy to do it for you."

Jason had thought about it, but rejected the idea. "No, Sir. His health is failing. I don't want him dying on the streets."

"Well, Son, do you want to charge him rent?"

"No. We don't need the money. Just let him live there until he dies."

Pete's heart filled with pride and happiness that Jason had included him when he said, "We don't need the money."

"You're a good man, Jason," Mr. Lambert said. "I'm proud of you and I'm sure your mother would be, too, Son."

Jason recalled how his heart had filled with pride and appreciation for the compliment. Mr. Lambert was the first man to ever call him a man besides Pete.

Pete had recently spent an afternoon visiting with Tim when they ran into each other in the cafeteria. Tim was taking a class on forensics and the subject of DNA had been discussed. As Pete sat in the big leather covered armchair next to Jason across the big desk from Mr. Lambert, he watched the man drop a lollipop stick into an ashtray on the desk. He'd chuckled at Mr. Lambert's explanation that he was trying to quit smoking and that the sucker filled the need to have something to stick between his lips. When they rose to leave Pete put the lollipop stick in his pocket while Jason and Mr. Lambert were shaking hands.

Later, he called Tim and told him of his observations and suspicions. Tim assured him that a DNA sample could easily be taken from the saliva on the stick, and that it would be a perfect project for him to do for a requirement in his class. He reminded Pete that he'd need a sample from Jason, too. That night when Jason blew his load all over himself and Pete. Pete was prepared and took a sample of the semen. He gave it, along with the pop stick, to Tim the next morning.

The sky was getting light. Jason put the thoughts and memories aside, turned his head and gazed with his heart full of love at the man lying next to him. He looked so peaceful, he figured he'd let him sleep another hour. He slipped out of bed and tiptoed into the bathroom. After slipping into his jeans and a tee shirt, he quietly made his way down the stairs to the kitchen.

He could smell fresh coffee brewing as he entered the kitchen but there was no one there. The coffee maker made a big wheezing sigh as it shot the last of the water into the grounds. Jason leaned against the counter and watched the last of the coffee dripping into the pot.

As he poured himself a cup of the fresh brew, Jake shuffled in. "Morning, Jase."

"Hey Jake, how're you feeling?"

"Great," he said, wrapping Jason in a hug. Jason loved Jake's hugs. He was so big. He was like the older brother he'd never had. He wrapped his arms around him and hugged him back.

"Charley awake?"

"Naw, he's still sawing logs."

"Cool. You guys catch up yet?" Jason asked, giving Jake a smart-assed grin.

"On what?" Jake asked, oh so innocently.

"You know on what," Jason was exasperated that Jake out did him. "Loooovin' each other."

Jake grinned and shook his head. "We'll never catch up. Guess we'll just have to keep trying as often as possible."

"I know what you mean," Jason said with a sly grin.

"How can a guy sleep with you two pouring coffee smells throughout the house? Can't you keep the kitchen doors closed to contain it?"

Jason and Jake looked up at the grouching, tousle-headed young man standing in the middle of the kitchen scratching his belly and running his fingers through the hair on his head at the same time.

"Don'tcha like the smell of fresh brewed coffee, Pete?" Jake asked.

"Course, I do. Otherwise, I'd have just turned over and gone back to sleep."

"Sit down, Handsome, I'll get you a mug," Jason said. He jumped up, filled a mug and doctored it to his mate's taste, while Pete stumbled to the table and flopped into a chair.

"Is there a reason we're all up so early?" Pete asked.

"I couldn't sleep. I have to go to the Mercy Hospital this morning to visit my father." Jason informed him.

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

Jake looked up from his mug. "I don't remember you ever mentioning him before. You've told me about your mother."

"Yeah, well, there's no love lost between us. He's a big brute of a man, and after my mother died he became a lush. Now he's in the hospital with Cirrhosis of the liver and having hallucinations."

"The hospital called you?" Jake asked.

"No, the woman that's living with him called me. She thought I should know that she is moving out of my house and that my father probably won't be leaving the hospital alive."

Pete sat quietly watching his little man. Jason's stoicism jerked on his emotions. He thought about how loving his own father was. 'Maybe,..........' He left the thought alone. He would call Tim later and find out what the DNA tests had revealed.

"So you're going to be an orphan soon it sounds like," Jake mumbled.

"Looks like it. Not like I wasn't already. He disowned me and threw me out a couple of years ago."

Pete smiled to himself and Jason caught him. "What are you smiling about?"

"I think my parents would be willing to adopt you."

"Thanks, but at twenty years old I don't think I need to be adopted."

"Jason's right. I find I can function just fine as an orphan." Jake said.

Pete grinned at him. "Yeah? Well, you should be able to at your advanced age."

"Hey, I'm only seven years older than you two."

"Ugh, you're nearly thirty..... Old."

"Who's old?" Charley asked as he shuffled into the kitchen and draped his arms around Jake.

Both Pete and Jason grinned and said in unison, "You."

Charley kissed the top of Jake's head. "That's okay, I've got my man to grow older with."