Field of Blooms: The Beginning Ch. 03

Austin started to stir around four o'clock, when he rolled over he felt something flat and hard against his face, he sat up and saw the card. He opened it up and started reading,

Dear Austin,

You truly are the light of my life. There is nothing more I want than to spend the rest of my life looking into those beautiful emerald eyes. I love you until the end of time.

Always yours,

Eric

Austin wiped his eyes as he made his way downstairs, he wrapped his arms around Eric and hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Eric smiled.

Just then they heard the doorbell ring.

"Who could that be?"

"I know I said there wouldn't be any guests this week, but I figured I'd make an exception." Eric smiled. "Would you mind getting the door while I start dinner?"

Austin walked down the stairs wondering who Eric had invited over, his eyes lit up when he opened the door and saw his parents standing there.

"Mom, dad, what are you guys doing here?" Austin smiled as he hugged them both.

"Eric called and invited us down for dinner." Joan replied as she walked in.

Austin just grinned, "You want to take the stairs or the elevator?"

"They have an elevator here?" Mark asked as he looked around in amazement.

"Yeah, it's right over here." Austin pointed the way.

They took the elevator up and Austin gave them the complete tour. They were in just as much awe as he had been the first day. After Austin showed them around, they went out on the large balcony where Eric had just placed the steaks on the grill. The sky had cleared and there was a cool breeze coming from the ocean, which made the night perfect for a cookout. Eric had prepared garlic, herb and wine marinated steaks, fresh green beans, homemade mashed potatoes with garlic butter, and corn on the cob. The meal was divine; everything had such a great flavor, Austin was kind of surprised Eric could cook like that. After dinner Eric cleaned up while Austin talked with his parents on the balcony.

"Have you boys been enjoying your week?" Mark asked as he opened a soda.

"It has been so nice to be able to relax." Austin smiled. "We've gone to the beach every day, well besides today, and enjoyed the boardwalk. Oh! I have to show you what we got."

Austin went up to their bedroom and grabbed the picture frame, "We took these that first night."

Both parents had tears in their eyes as they read the engraving, "Austin, that is beautiful Hun." Joan said grabbing a napkin and wiping her eyes.

Mark stood up, "I'll be right back."

He walked through the doorway and over to where Eric was drying the dishes, he turned Eric around and pulled him into a giant hug, "Thank you Eric."

"For what?" Eric was clearly shocked by this show of emotion.

Breaking the hug, Mark looked him deep in the eyes and said, "For making my son so happy. I saw the picture, I can tell by the look in his eyes that he is truly happy. I honestly can't remember when I have ever seen him so blissful and content; you're a good man Eric."

"Well, thank you Mr. Montgomery." Eric smiled and returned the hug.

"Dad, you can call me dad if you want."

They spent the rest of the night around the dinner table playing board games, laughing and, of course, Austin's parents told embarrassing stories of when he was a kid.

"Mom, Eric doesn't want to be bored with those stories." Austin grumbled.

"Oh no, I want to hear every single one!" Eric laughed.

They talked and laughed well into the night, it was after two in the morning when they finally decided to turn in. Austin's parents had taken one of the rooms on the third floor, leaving the fourth floor all to the boys.

Eric leaned his head in Austin's parents room, where Austin was helping them make the bed, "I'm going to go up to take a bath, no need to rush. Good night Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery, I am so glad you came."

"Okay, I won't be long." Austin called over his shoulder.

"Eric, now what did we tell you about the Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery thing?" Mark scolded with a smile.

After Austin said his goodnights, he made his way to the staircase where he saw rose peddles sprinkled across the steps. They made a path all the way up, through the master bedroom, to the bathroom where Eric was sitting on the side of the Jacuzzi, dressed only in a towel. Candles lined the edge of the tub where a lavender scented bubble bath was waiting for them.

"Eric, what is all this?"

He got up and walked over to Austin, "It's for the love of my life; I wanted this night to be absolutely perfect so you will always remember how much I love you. Come on, let's get in."

Eric slowly and sensually undressed Austin then removed his towel. Eric smiled at the sight of Austin's beautiful body in the soft glow of the candle lights. He stepped in first, then took Austin's hand and guided him into the soft bubbles. Austin sat between Eric's legs as the bubbles enveloped his body, it felt like he was sitting in the middle of a giant cloud. Eric reached up and slowly started to massage Austin's shoulders.

"Feel good?"

"Mmmm-hhmmm." Austin moaned.

"Good, just relax and enjoy it."

Austin was in pure, blissful, heaven. He loved the feeling of Eric's strong hands on his body working his muscles.

"Close your eyes." Eric whispered.

"Another surprise?" Austin asked as he did what Eric asked.

"Now, open your mouth."

Austin felt something cold and smooth on his lips, when he bit down his mouth was filled with the most delicious mint infused, chocolate covered strawberry. "Mmmmm, Eric. That tastes so good. You even found some with mint?!"

"I ordered them special. You want another one?" he offered.

"Let me feed one to you." Austin turned around, picked one up and fed it to Eric.

Austin moved closer and kissed Eric's lips, which still tasted like chocolate. The kiss started to turn passionate but Eric gently pushed Austin back. "Not tonight."

"You don't want to make love to me?"

"This night is all for you. You gave me something that was very special to you, your virginity, and now it's time I give you the same thing."

"But you said when we started dating that you wouldn't do that." Austin gave a quizzical look.

"You're right, I did, but now I want to give my virginity to the sexy guy, with the dazzling emerald green eyes, who stole my heart."

"Oh Eric." Austin said as he wrapped his arms around him, "That is the most special thing you could ever give me."

"Come on, I'm ready." Eric smiled as he stood up already full erect.

Austin's eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped, "I guess you really are ready."

They took turns drying each other off then, made their way over to the bed. For the first time Eric laid down first, then pulled Austin on top of him. They kissed each other as their hands started exploring each other's bodies.

The feeling of having Eric's muscular body under him was new and wonderful. Austin silently hoped this wouldn't be the only time. Eric broke the kiss, rolled Austin onto his back and started to kiss him all the way down his toned chest, stopping at each nipple. After he spent a few minutes teasing and biting, he kissed his way down to Austin's waiting cock. The fresh scent of lavender filled his nose as he started licking around Austin's balls, sucking in one and then the other. As he continued he ran his tongue up and down Austin's shaft, he flicked sensually over the sweet spot on the edge of the head and slipped the very tip of his tongue into the opening. Austin began to writhe and moan as Eric ever so slowly slid his lips around Austin's dick, edging down his length and back up again, over and over.

"Wait, why did you stop?" Austin groaned in disappointment.

"Just a sec superman, I'm getting something." Eric responded as he reached over to the bedside table and picked up a small jar of organic coconut oil. "Does that feel good?" He asked as he gripped Austin's cock in his hand and slathered it with the coconut oil.

"Holy shit, that stuff's awesome!"

Eric continued to leisurely tease Austin while taking a bit of the oil in his other hand to spread around his virgin opening.

"We are really going to do this?" Austin asked in a near pant.

"Oh yes superman, now show me what you've got." Eric smiled as he looked deeply into Austin's mesmerizing, emerald green eyes and rolled on his back pulling Austin on top of him. Austin placed his cock at Eric's virgin entrance, and then slowly started to push. He had never done that before and was only doing what he remembered Eric doing to him. He thought to himself how he hoped he was doing it right. When Eric exhaled, Austin's steel member broke through the tight ring. It took Austin by surprise causing him to sink balls deep. Eric hissed as his sat straight up on the bed.

"Fuck! I'm sorry Eric, I didn't mean that." Austin started to pull out.

"It's okay, just don't move. Let me get used to having you inside me." Eric slowly laid back down, "My god your cock feels a lot bigger inside of me."

"Just tell me what you would like me to do." Austin offered.

"Kiss me, it really turns me on."

Austin leaned down and started kissing Eric, which seemed to take his mind off of the pain. As the kiss turned deeper, Eric started getting hard again. Austin did his best to take it slow; he didn't want to hurt Eric. At first he had trouble keeping rhythm but soon they were in tune with each other. Austin's heart was racing; he never thought he would be inside of Eric Mason, of all people. Seeing his dick sliding in and out of Eric's toned body was something he had only dreamed of. It was really turning him on as he could see the pleasure in Eric's face knowing that he was the reason for it.

"Damn, you are so tight!" Austin moaned.

"Fuck superman, I didn't know this could feel so good, go harder." Eric placed his legs on Austin's shoulders pulling him farther in.

Austin was a bundle of nerves the entire time hoping he was doing it right, the sounds coming from Eric gave him the reassurance that he was. Soon they found the perfect rhythm and Austin forgot all about his nerves. Eric wrapped his leg around Austin's waist as he was coming closer to climax.

"I'm getting close." Eric moaned. "Fuck, you feel so good inside me!"

Austin could feel Eric start to clench down on him, he knew Eric was about to cum. A few more deep strokes, Austin had Eric shooting his load. Seeing Eric shoot, the sensation of him clenching around his shaft, sent Austin over the edge and he shot his load deep inside Eric. Spent from his orgasm, Austin collapsed onto Eric's chest.

"My god...." Eric panted, "That was the best feeling ever!"

Austin still trying to catch his breath, "Yeah it was."

They fell asleep in each other's arms, basking in the afterglow of their love making.

Around three o'clock in the morning a bright flash of lightening lit up the night sky; next, came blood curdling screams as Austin flew off the bed and crashed to the floor. Eric jumped out of bed, smacking his head on the bed post, and ran over to Austin's side. Then, suddenly, another flash of light hit followed by a loud crack of thunder. Eric knew that Austin was having another episode, remembering what he read in the pamphlets, he didn't touch Austin. He knelt down beside him and calmly told him that he was there and was going to protect him. He reached over and turned on the bedside lamp, Austin's eyes shot open and locked onto Eric. Eric looked back into Austin's eyes but it was like looking into complete darkness, he could tell that he wasn't there in the present moment but had slipped into a memory. Just then a drop of blood fell from the cut on his forehead and landed on the sheet Austin was wrapped in. Eric touched his head and when he pulled his hand back it was covered in blood. When Austin saw the bright red, oozing and dripping blood down Eric's face, he completely lost it. He tried to get away from Eric while screaming for him to stop. Eric quickly ran into the bathroom and wrapped a towel around his head to hide the blood then, he rushed back over to Austin, who was shaking uncontrollably on the floor. Lightning flashed and thunder cracked overhead causing Austin to jump and scream over and again. Eric was starting to panic, this was one of the worst episodes he'd seen, but he had to remain calm for Austin. He knew that he had to get him away from the flashes of light. He saw the door leading to the large walk-in closet and picked Austin up, Austin started flailing and screaming. Quickly, he ran over, opened the door, and went in closing it behind him. As he reached for the light switch, Austin broke free, falling to the carpet with a thud. Eric quickly got down on the floor next to Austin and tried to calm him down.

"It's okay Austin, I'm here and I'm not going to let them hurt you." He said as he started to brush away the monsters.

"Make them stop! Please, make them stop!" Austin screamed as he clawed at Eric's arms.

"I will superman. I'll make them leave you alone." Eric continued to brush way the unseen creatures of the night. "I'm here now, you are safe Austin."

After a few more intense moments Austin slowly started to calm down, "Come here superman. Come into the safety of my arms where no one can ever hurt you again."

Austin cautiously made his way into Eric's arms where he began to sob. Eric grabbed a blanket from the shelf behind him and wrapped him up tightly as he kept talking. "You're safe now, no need to be scared. Your big protective boyfriend is going to keep you safe."

Eric slowly started to rock, back and forth, while gently stroking Austin's arms. They sat in the closet well after the storm had passed, all the time Eric kept talking and rocking. Eric hadn't noticed that Austin had fallen asleep in his arms, obviously exhausted from the flashback, until he heard him breathing softly. Not wanting to wake him, Eric reached up, turned off the lights then rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

It was around ten o'clock when Eric felt Austin start to stir, "Morning handsome."

Austin's throat was horse from screaming, "Where are we?"

"In the closet, you had an episode last night."

"Oh god, I'm sorry."

"There is nothing to be sorry about." Eric kissed him in the darkness. "Just do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"I want you to go in the other bedroom and stay there until I come get you."

"What's the matter?" Austin asked nervously.

"I hit my head on the bedpost last night and when you saw the blood it really set you off. I don't want that to happen again, okay?"

"Oh, my god! Eric, are you okay?" Austin instinctively reached for the light switch.

"Stop! I am fine; please just go in the other room. I will get you when everything is cleaned up."

"Okay, Eric." Austin sounded heartbroken. "Can I have a kiss first?"

"Of course, come here superman." Eric kissed him before he turned his head away from Austin as he walked out of the closet.

Once he knew Austin was out of sight, he walked into the bathroom and cleaned the dried blood from his forehead and applied a bandage then, he replaced the sheets. Once he made sure there was no more blood, he went and got Austin from the other bedroom.

"Oh shit, Eric!" Austin exclaimed in a panic.

"What superman?"

"Didn't you notice those scratches on your arms? What happened?!" Austin asked, obviously becoming upset again.

"Oh that, it's nothing superman, now come on, let's get back to our room." Eric brushed off the question, not wanting Austin to know that he'd actually scratched him during the upset the night before.

Unable to focus on anything other than his own anxiety and feelings of guilt, "I thought the doctor said these pills would lessen the effects of my PTSD." Austin said as they walked downstairs.

"They will, but he also said it will take time for them to start working, this is only your first week on them."

"I just want to be normal again; I'm tired of being a pain in the ass to everyone."

Eric turned around and stopped Austin, "Listen to me Austin Montgomery, you are not, nor ever have been, a pain in anyone's ass. You are a beautiful, caring and loving person who was the victim of horrible circumstances. So please, don't blame yourself."

"I just feel like maybe, it would have been better if they had killed me. Then nobody would have their lives turned upside down."

Eric's initial thought was to tell Austin that he was crazy for thinking like that, but he knew that he had to take a different approach. "If you had died that night our lives would have been turned upside down even more. Austin, I will take you with your good days, bad, and in between so, don't ever think that I am going to leave you. Come on, let's enjoy the time we have left down here."

The Montgomery's were out on the deck when they heard the boys walk in, "Did you boys have a good night?" Mark asked as he walked through the door but when he saw Eric's blood shot eyes and the bandage on his head, he knew it wasn't.

Eric explained that Austin had a serious episode last night triggered by the storm. Joan told him that he could have gotten them to help but Eric explained that he just jumped into action and didn't think of anything else. Gently reaching for Eric's head, she asked him if he was okay, part of her wondered if Austin had accidently hit him. He told her it was just a little bump from running into the bedpost and that it was nothing serious. Noticing her eyes moving down his arms, Eric slid his hands over the scratches as he looked at her, sending a silent message to not even ask. As they looked into each other's eyes, Joan began tearing up seeing how much Eric truly loved and cared about her son.

After they had breakfast, Eric went upstairs and recorded the prior night's events in his journal before getting ready to head to the beach. Something was different about Austin, he wasn't his usual happy self, but seemed as if he had reverted back to the traumatized young man in the hospital. It was as if a grey cloud was hanging over him and for most of the day he just sat under a beach umbrella staring out onto the ocean. Eric tried to get him to go in, and when he did, he didn't horse around. He had started to notice that the day following an episode, Austin tended to be more reserved, sullen and quiet.

When Eric went off to get some ice cream, Austin asked to use his mother's cell phone. "Hey Becka, it's Austin."

"I was wondering whose number this was."

"I'm using my mom's phone. Look, I don't have much time so I'll make this brief. How quickly can you throw a party together?"

"Well, depends on what type of party it is. Why do you ask?"

"I had a very bad episode last night, Eric got hurt, nothing serious but I want to have a party for him tonight at his beach house."

"Austin, I don't think that would be a good idea. There is going to be a lot of people and noise, it could set off triggers."

"Look, Eric has been sacrificing a lot for me these past few months and I just know a party would make him feel better, please?"

"Ugh, I really think you should talk it over with him first."

"No, it has to be a surprise. Just call some of his friends and tell them to be here around six. I have to go, he's coming back."

"Okay, fine but I have a bad feeling about this."

Becka knew deep down inside that having a big party could really set Austin off, so she decided that she would stick next to Austin the entire night. Austin quickly hung up the phone and handed it back to his mother before Eric noticed.

"Is everything okay?" Joan asked as she put her phone away.

"Yeah, I just had to ask Becka something, it wasn't anything important."

It was around four o'clock when everyone decided to head back to the house. Eric asked if the Montgomery's wanted to stay another night, but they politely declined. After they left, Austin went upstairs to get ready for the night. Eric noticed that Austin had been upstairs longer than normal, so Eric went looking for him and found him getting ready in the bathroom.